LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has ordered all educational institutions to made teaching of the Holy Quran compulsory in their curriculum from next year.
Justice Shahid Waheed of the divisional bench passed an order to include the Holy Quran as part of the new curriculum commencing from 2021. The court also asked religious scholars to express their views on the matter so that it can be implemented in all provinces.
Earlier in November, a lawyer had submitted a petition over tthe compulsory teachings of the Holy Quran in all educational institutes in Pakistan. The court has sought replies from the chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the federal secretary for religious affairs.
The petition pleaded the court to direct the authorities to ensure implementation of Sections 3 and 4 of the Compulsory Teaching of the Holy Quran Act, 2017, of the Constitution.
The petitioner said that the court should also ask authorities in Punjab to notify all public and private schools in the province to begin Naazrah Quran classes from Grade 1 to 4, and teachings of the Quran along with translation from Grade 6 to 12.
In June, the Punjab government made the teaching of the Quran with translation mandatory for university students. National Assembly also passed a bill in April 2017 for te complusory teaching of the Holy Quran for Muslim students in all educational institutions.
