‘Naya Pakistan’ with ‘regressive’ mentality: Pakistan compel burqas on girl students

Islamabad, October 6: While the globe moves forward towards change, Pakistan however, is moving backwards in its process of development and thoughts. Shouting out loud during his election campaign, Imran Khan vouched for Naya Pakistan but since then this Pakistan has seen nothing ‘Naya’. In a latest, the neighbouring country has stooped down low with spending ounces of money on distributing ‘burqas’ to schoolgirls.

 

While the purana Pakistan gave laptops to students in school, this Naya Pakistan government gives burqas to school girls. Interestingly, these burqas worth Rs100,000 are distributed in a Mardan school. Brazen and appalling, the Union Council Palo Dheri Cheena Village Councillor Muzafar Shah and leader of the Pakistan Tareek-e-Insaaf (PTI) while talking to media reporters informed that they had earlier decided on had decided to purchase chadors for the female students, but after consultation with local leaders, they bought the burqas.

The village councillor went on to say that his action was inspired by the recent notification of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) chief minister adviser on Elementary and Secondary Education Ziaullah Bangash directing girls to observe ‘purdahs’. While the education system needs to be friendly and informative, these village counsellors are justifying this act by stating that by letting girls were burqas, they are giving them a ‘safe environment.’

This move came after the order was first circulated in Haripur district, where the district education officer asked all principals and headmistresses of public schools to ensure that girl students wear an abaya, gown or chador. However, hours after the administration made it mandatory for female students of government-run schools to cover themselves up, CM Mahmood Khan issued directives to withdraw the notification, saying it was issued without the government’s consent.

While the country needs to move forward by giving space to new ideas and meaningful education system, this face of Pakistan is dragging itself behind. Enabling students with proper education and facilities will lead the country to develop and progress unlike this where this ‘Naya Pakistan’ is pulling itself down degrading its system.