LAHORE   -  Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has assured madrasas and Islamic universities of the government’s full support in upgrading their facilities to include contemporary education alongside traditional Islamic teachings.

Addressing a one-day training workshop, organised by Dar-ul-Uloom Islamia in Allama Iqbal Town via video-link on Sunday, the minister emphasised that integrating modern education into the madrasa system is a “great national service”. He congratulated Darul Uloom Islamia for its efforts in introducing degree programs in modern subjects alongside religious studies. He highlighted the importance of modern education for religious students, stating that many madrasa graduates have already begun contributing to various sectors, including the judiciary and bureaucracy. He underscored the historical role of Muslim scholars in advancing science, philosophy, and other disciplines and noted that madrasas, by offering a balanced education, could produce professionals in fields like medicine, engineering, law, and science. The minister called on religious institutions to help fulfill the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (RA) and Allama Muhammad Iqbal (RA) in making Pakistan a modern Islamic state. He also paid tribute to his grandfather, the late former president Rafique Tarar, for his contributions to promoting religious education and the philosophy of Pakistan. While apologizing for his inability to attend the workshop in person, Tarar reaffirmed his family’s respect for Ulema and religious scholars and reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting their educational endeavors.