PUNJAB COMPULSORY TEACHING OF
THE HOLY QURAN ACT, 2018
An Act to provide for making compulsory teaching of the Holy Quran to Muslim students in all educational institutions
[Gazette of Punjab, Extraordinary, 16th May, 2018]
CT XVII OF 2018
No. PAP/Legis-3(57)/2017/1760.–The Punjab Compulsory Teaching of the Holy Quran Bill, 2017, having been passed by the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab on May 4, 2018, and assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on May 16, 2018, is hereby published as an Act of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab.
Whereas it is expedient to provide for making teaching of the Holy Quran compulsory for Muslim students in all educational institutions in the Province of Punjab and for matters connected therewith and ancillary thereto;
Be it enacted by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as follows:
1. Short title, application and commencement.–(1) This Act may be cited as the Punjab Compulsory Teaching of the Holy Quran Act, 2018.
(2) It shall apply only to Muslim students in all educational institutions in the Province of Punjab.
(3) It shall come into force at once.
2. Definitions.–In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires–
(a) “Educational institution” means any school, college, institute, by whatever name called, established and set up in public or private sector for imparting education to students irrespective of its status whether registered or not registered with the Government or any other body;
(b) “Government” means the Government of the Punjab;
(c) “Naazrah Quran” means recitation by sighting of the Arabic text;
(d) “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules made under this Act; and
(e) “rules” means the rules made under this Act.
3. Compulsory teaching of the Holy Quran.–(1) There shall be, in all educational institutions, compulsory teaching of,–
(a) the Naazrah Quran in classes, grades or, as the case may be, levels I to V in the prescribed manner; and
(b) the translation of the Holy Quran in classes, grades or, as the case may be, levels VI to XII in such prescribed manner so that the entire Holy Quran is completed upto class, grade or, as the case may be, level XII.
(2) The Government shall ensure implementation of the Act in the prescribed manner.
4. Power to make rules.–The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act.
5. Act not to be derogatory to any other law.–The provisions of this Act shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, any other law for the time being in force.
