No mandatory hijab policy in Punjab colleges

LAHORE – The Punjab government has rejected its minister’s proposal to make hijab mandatory for college girls.

The denial comes on Tuesday hours after provincial minister for higher education Syed Raza Gillani proposed that college girls wearing hijab be given five per cent attendance relaxation.

“We want to give an incentive to the girls for wearing hijab,” said the minister.

“We are leaving our religion behind, and are forgetting our culture and ethics. Hence, I have made the hijab compulsory for our women and sisters in colleges.

The minister added that it was his duty to take the step as it is “the duty of every Muslim”. “I have also made a policy for it, if your attendance falls below 60pc then we will give 5pc attendance to those girls who wear a hijab,” Gillani said at an exhibition.

His statement invited public uproar who took it to social media while responding strongly to the minister’s statement, with some claiming the proposed measure may lead to discrimination against non-Muslim students.

INP adds: Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, the younger sister of PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, was one of the first on social media to question the proposal, asking why wearing hijab should impact a student’s academic results.

She asked what boys and non-Muslim students would have to do to obtain those extra marks. She also questioned the relation between wearing a Hijab and grades/marks of a student.

“And what will the boys do? What will students of a different religion do? Why does wearing a Hijab impact grades/marks?” Assefa tweeted.

Later, a spokesman for the provincial government rejected the report, saying no such decision had been taken or was being considered by the provincial government. “There is no policy to make hijab mandatory in the colleges and the government of Punjab strongly rejects any such policy.”

The official notification posted on social media added, “Academic excellence based on merit…[is] clear policy of the government of Punjab.”This is absolutely wrong news … No such policy announced by Government of the Punjab.”

Speaking to Geo News following the government’s denial, the minister claimed that it was only a proposal and no final decision had been taken in this regard. “My statement was misreported. No decision was taken in this regard and it is only a proposal. There were 5-6 other proposals as well but media only highlighted this one,” he clarified.

Source: The Nation