Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has revealed that thousands of madrassas in Islamabad have been constructed on illegally occupied land, calling for strict regulation and educational reform to ensure national progress and unity. Speaking to the media, he said that many of these religious seminaries were established without proper authorization, posing governance and security concerns in the federal capital.
The minister recalled that during the 1980s, Pakistan’s education system was deliberately shaped to serve foreign interests rather than national priorities. He stated that the curriculum designed at the time was created to support the so-called Afghan jihad and had been developed with the involvement of the American spy agency, the CIA. “In the 1980s, the Afghan war did not serve our interests but advanced the strategic goals of the United States,” Khawaja Asif said, urging the need to reverse such legacies through a uniform education curriculum across the country.
Emphasizing national unity, the Defence Minister said that all Pakistanis must play their part in the nation’s development and stand together against Indian aggression. He reiterated that strong governance and educational reforms are key to ensuring Pakistan’s stability and independence.
Highlighting the importance of democratic devolution, Khawaja Asif praised the committee that drafted the 18th Constitutional Amendment for its significant role in strengthening democracy. He noted that “democratic stability is not possible without devolving powers to the lower levels, and democracy cannot progress without the distribution of authority.”
The minister pointed out that even in the past, local government systems were introduced by military rulers, underscoring that without empowering local institutions, democracy cannot be truly robust. He added that the 18th Amendment contains essential provisions for the transfer of administrative and financial powers from the federal government to provincial and local levels, ensuring that governance remains closer to the people.
