Punjab Amends Act to Waive Dual Registration for Religious Seminaries

Lahore (Education Reporter) – The Punjab government has approved key amendments to the Societies Registration Act, 1860, simplifying the registration process for religious seminaries across the province. Under the Societies Registration (Amendment) Act 2026, which inserts sub-section (1A) into Section 21, seminaries already registered with the Federal Ministry of Education and Professional Training’s Directorate General of Religious Education (DGRE) are exempt from registering again under provincial law. The amendment provides immediate legal protection and ends unnecessary bureaucratic delays for federally registered institutions. Concurrently, the Punjab Charities Commission has established a dedicated facilitation cell to issue barcoded registration certificates, streamlining banking and administrative processes for seminaries. Within days of launching the cell, 16 seminaries applied for registration, with 12 receiving certificates, including Jamia Naeemia, while major networks like Jamia Ashrafia and Rabitat-ul-Madaris have also initiated the process through the support of the Punjab Home Department.