Islamic Indoctrination: Pakistan to Make Quran Compulsory in Public Schools

The Pakistani government intends to make learning the Quran compulsory in the country’s public schools.

On Wednesday, Pakistan's Minister of State for Federal Education Muhammad Balighur Rehman attended the 4th Annual Day organized by Al Huda International School at Pak-China Friendship Centre, where he announced that the government was making efforts to implement the plan.

"This process would be initiated after consulting all the provinces through the platform of Inter-Provincial Education Minister's Conference (IPEMC)," the minister said.

Rehman explained that the initiative is aimed at encouraging children to "research and explore different subjects, fields, and ideas."

"These children are our national asset so we should invest the best of our resources to make them better educated human beings."

Students of grades 1 to 5 will be taught a verbal reading of the text, known as Nazra Quran. Starting at grade 6 they will get 'proper Quranic education' memorizing scriptures, along with translation.

Earlier in January, Pakistan's Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yusuf announced that the government would soon make the Quran mandatory learning in both public and private schools.

The law is expected to come into force after being approved by the national assembly.

Quran is the religious text of Islam, Pakistan's state religion. The majority of the country's population is Muslim.