ISLAMABAD: The Punjab Human Rights and Minorities Affairs has directed the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB) to remove Islamic literature from all the subjects other than Islamiyat, a move which has been condemned by different lawmakers and religious scholars.
Senior journalist Ansar Abbasi has cited sources as saying that the provincial HR department has issued the directive without approval of the provincial cabinet. While it has also ignored the Supreme Court’s verdict which is due to be announced on the appeal filed by a one-member minority commission regarding the proposed changes.
The Human Rights department directed the PCTB in a letter on Apr 1, 2021 that decision of the meeting chaired by the one-member commission on Nov 11, 2020 should be implemented.
The managing director of PCTB has been apprised about the decision of the meeting which states that the religious material should be removed from other subject books and it should be restricted only to the subjects related to religion (Islamiyat/ Ethics).
President International Muslim Women Union Dr Samia Raheel Qazi said the one who had issued the directive to remove Islamic content from books should be given strict punishment, so that nobody dares to think about it again.
Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf Senator Ejaz Chaudhary said that the demand to remove Islamic content from books was unacceptable and he had asked Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to immediately withdraw the notification which was issued without approval of the provincial cabinet.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said that his government would never let any such thing happen.
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