Cabinet Also Approves Amendments to Income Tax Ordinance, 2024
The federal cabinet on Friday approved amendments to the contentious “Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill 2024,” which deals with madrassa registration, after the government and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) resolved their differences over the disputed legislation.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting approved amendments to the Societies Registration Act 1860 based on recommendations from the law ministry.
This development came two days after JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza stated that all differences between the government and his party regarding the madrassa registration bill had been resolved.
“A gazette notification of the madrassa registration act, passed in light of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, is likely to be issued in the next two days,” said the senator. Murtaza added that he and Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar had finalized the draft of the legislation. “This matter will be completely resolved with the issuance of the notification.”
Following a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the government reportedly accepted all demands of the Ittehad Tanzeemat-e-Madaris Deenia (ITMD) regarding the contentious madrassa registration bill.
The bill, which had already passed both houses of parliament, required the president’s assent to become law. However, President Asif Ali Zardari returned the bill citing legal objections.
Meanwhile, in today’s meeting, the cabinet also approved amendments to the Income Tax Ordinance 2024 related to banking companies, as recommended by the Revenue Division.
Additionally, the cabinet approved policy guidelines for carbon market trading based on recommendations from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination.
The cabinet also approved the delegation of additional powers of insurance tribunals to all District and Session Judges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, following the orders of the Peshawar High Court and recommendations from the law ministry.
