Pakistan curbs extremist teaching at madrasas

Pakistan has agreed to overhaul instruction at madrasas or religious schools to bring them closer into line with conventional schools and curb extremist teaching, Shafqat Mahmood, the education minister, said yesterday.

It is the latest effort to address long-standing concerns that the country’s 30,000 madrasas provide a haven for extremist teaching.

Under the plan, madrasa umbrella organisation Wafaq-ul-madaris would commit to ensuring extremist teaching was not part of the curriculum.