'Need to reform madrassa system in Pakistan'

Top leaders of 26 Pakistani terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Haqqani network "are products of" madrassas and there is an urgent need to reform all such seminaries, an executive of a Pakistani NGO has said.

Addressing the 'White House Summit to Counter Violent Extremism' held in Washington last week, the founder of 'Peace and Education Foundation, Pakistan Azhar Hussain said the leadership position of 26 Pakistani terrorist organisations are occupied by those who were products of that country's religious seminaries.

"There is an urgent need of reform of Pakistan's Madrassa education. The Madrassa system has to be modernised as we have seen most of the terrorist leaders are products of such seminaries and they are highly indoctrinated," sources said quoting Hussain. The seminar was attended by representatives of 60 countries, including India.

The seminar had detailed discussions on the growing activities of Middle-East terrorist group ISIS where the officials deliberated on how to enhance cooperation among nations while dealing with the threat. The sources said the European nations shared their experience in addressing issues of minority communities and how to integrate them, particularly the Muslims, and enhance cooperation with other communities. 

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