Haqqani’s lay foundation stone of new madrassa in Paktia

Members of the Haqqani family and Paktia residents have laid the first foundation stone for a new madrassa, that will be named after the network’s founding father Mawlawi Jalaluddin Haqqani.

The religious studies school will be built on four acres of land in Gardez city in Paktia province and is being sponsored by local businessmen.

Haqqani officials said Wednesday this is the first of hopefully many such schools that will be built across the country in the future.

They said the new school in Paktia would help reduce the need for Afghan children to study religion in Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

According to them the school will provide both religious and contemporary education.

Ishaq Haqqani said at the event: “Students will not go to Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia, we will establish a foundation for teaching English, Arabic and other languages in this school; we also want to provide computer training here.”