Hijab made mandatory for female students and teachers in PoK

In Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s education department has ordered the female students and teachers in co-education institutions to compulsorily wear hijab, reported Dawn on Monday, March 6. This decision comes after Pakistan's government could not establish separate high and higher secondary schools for girls. A notice has been issued on February 24 with the signatures of a deputy director of AJK’s Directorate General of Elementary and Secondary Education.

“It has been observed that the female students/teachers are not made to wear hijab in institutions where co-education is practiced. Therefore, under the passed-on instructions, female students/teachers should be strictly bound to wear hijab,” read the notice. 

Further, the notice warned that in case the instructions were violated, disciplinary proceedings would be initiated  “against the heads of the institutions concerned”. The notice has been distributed to all three divisional directors and all 10 district education officers on the male side for endorsement, as per the rules, reported Dawn. This was further circulated to the educational institutions in their jurisdiction between March 2 and March 4.

Hijab mandatory for female students 

As this new order for PoK's female students has been imposed, the AJK minister for elementary and secondary education, Deevan Ali Khan Chughtai has confirmed the circular and elaborated on the reasons behind it. “We have done it exactly in observance of the injunctions of God and His Messenger (peace be upon him) […] The women have been ordained to wear veils and men have been ordained to lower their gaze,” said Chughtai, AJK minister. He informed that the authorities could not establish separate high and higher secondary schools for girls, mainly due to resource constraints and also due to the small number of girl students.

Also, she shared that PoK's female students would be enrolled in educational institutions for boys to study under a co-education system. “However, following some complaints by parents, we decided to enforce a dress code for teachers and hijab for female students and teachers,” he added. According to Chughtai, “As far as female students and female teachers in co-ed institutions are concerned, the hijab has been made part of their uniform.” While talking about the new notice for Pakistan's female students, he said, " It’s not a forced decision. Rather we have taken it in consultation with parents and teachers. Everyone has accepted it because our society has a visible leaning towards religion.”