Hijab for college girls: PTI MPA’s ‘clerical mistake’ creates confusion in PA

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA took a last minute U-turn on the proposal to make Hijab mandatory for all college girls on Wednesday.

The development comes a day after Punjab government rejected the reports that it is considering a proposal to make hijab mandatory for college girls.

MPA Nabila Hakim Ali Khan had submitted a proposal in the Punjab Assembly to make hijab compulsory for all girls in private and government colleges and girls observing hijab be given extra marks.

An hour later, the MPA went back on her word and submitted another resolution stating that hijab should not be made mandatory and girls with hijab not be given extra marks.

Speaking on the issues, Khan said that she made a ‘clerical mistake’ and forgot to add the word ‘not’ in the first proposal.

However, comparing the text of the two bills shows that it was not a mistake. It is speculated that the MPA changed the proposal after pressure from other PTI leaders.

The issue of making hijab mandatory for college going girls in Punjab came into limelight when Punjab Higher Education Minister Syed Raza Gillani proposed on Tuesday that college girls wearing hijab are given five per cent attendance relaxation.

"We want to give an incentive to the girls for wearing hijab," said the minister during a meeting of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education in Lahore, adding that the measure was aimed at promoting hijab-culture in Punjab.

After receiving a lot of backlash from the people, a spokesperson for the provincial government said that no such decision has been taken."

"This is absolutely wrong news ... No such policy announced by Government of the Punjab," said the spokesperson.

Clarifying his stance, Gillani remarked, "My statement was misreported. No decision was taken in this regard and it is only a proposal.”