Why has a Major General (R) been appointed as DG Madrasa Directorate?

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has approved the notification of Major General (retd) Dr. Ghulam Qamar’s appointment as the Director General of Religious Education in the Madrasa Directorate under the Federal Ministry of Education and Vocational Affairs.

The news broken by the MM News on August 15 proved to be true. According to the documents, on October 13, the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has appointed Major General (retd) Dr. Ghulam Qamar as Director General of Madarsa Directorate under the Federal Education Ministry under Letter No. 2001 / SPM / 2021.

After the notification No.F-1-46 / 2014-SS-RE issued by the Federal Ministry of Education and Professional Affairs Cadet Secretary Admin Hakeem Khan Niazi on October 13, Major General (retd) Dr. Ghulam Qamar was transferred to the Madrasa Directorate, who has taken the charge.

He has been appointed Director General of Religious Education to bring new reforms in religious madrassas. 

A month ago, the post of Director General of Religious Education was advertised by the Federal Ministry of Education and Vocational Affairs in Islamabad’s official website and in a local newspaper.

Major General (retd) Ghulam Qamar had been groomed for the post from the outset due to good relations with Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood, however, a local newspaper had vaguely advertised just to fulfill the criteria.

Surprisingly, the advertisement was given on a day before Eid-ul-Adha, when people are usually busy preparing for the sacrifice. A key source in the ministry also said that preparations were being made to bring the retired general to the Madrassa Directorate from the outset, with hints being given to the officers preparing the advertisement.

Sources revealed that after the formation of federations of ten new religious madrassas in recent days, a new policy will now be formulated for religious madrassas across Pakistan so that the madrassas remain under government control and the independence of madrassas can be controlled and they do not get involved in the politics.

While directing strict monitoring on issues like reforms in madrassas, registration, fundraising, accounts, and audit reports, international pressure is likely to be implemented in the context of the FATF.

Surprisingly, for the first time in the Madrasa Directorate, it was clearly written in the advertisement to take a retired officer of the Armed Forces along with the civilians.

Besides, the maximum age of the candidate for the post was kept at 62 years.

In the advertisement, the officers had sought 25 years of experience in the relevant department ie Madrasa Reforms without the consent of the Education Minister.

Due to which the Education Minister had reprimanded the officers of the department after preparing the advertisement.

On the other hand, sources said that the Pakistan Madrassa Education Board, which was set up during the Musharraf regime to control madrassas, is a formal act and a proposal has been sent to Parliament by the Ministry of Education to abolish it completely.

On the other hand, the present government had set up the Madrassa Directorate as a project two years ago and a retired officer, Rafiq Tahir, was illegally held responsible for two years.

But now the Ministry of Education has appointed retired Major General Dr. Ghulam Qamar as the regular Director-General of Regular Education. Concerns over the appointment of a retired military officer to the post are being raised in religious seminary circles. It is pertinent to mention that it is the first time in the history of Pakistan,  a major has been appointed as the Director-General.