LAHORE: After two women were barred from entering the civil Secretariat this week, an official statement from the provincial minister for Healthcare Dr. Yasmin Rashid has denied imposing any strict dress code for entering the premise.
The concern was raised after a video showing male staff at the Civil Secretariat refrain a woman from entering the minister’s block for ‘not carrying a dupatta’ went viral on social media.
“Went to the Minister’s Block, Civil Secretariat Lahore today because I heard of this issue that you can’t enter without a dupatta. They refused me too. I asked for written orders and there were none. They used your name ma’am Dr_YasminRashid . You can see. PTIofficial #NayaPakistan", the caption stated.
The video came after a woman deliberately went to the minister's block without a dupatta to witness the oral instructions regarding the discriminatory policy and filmed it.
The footage showed the staff instructing the woman of dress code for entering the intergovernmental premise with no written orders to be shown.
“I mean, would you like it if every guy gawks at you in public?” the guard told the woman.
"We don’t have any issue with what you’re wearing. We were allowing people irrespective of their dress or manner. However, these orders were issued a few days earlier because a woman came in wearing tight jeans and shirt.”
Responding to the unofficial instructions, the provincial minister for Health Dr. Yasmin Rashid denied imposing such moral policy.
“Neither has such an instruction been given nor is it possible to discriminate against anyone on this pretext,” the minister wrote, adding that a notice has been taken on the matter.
“The guard has been investigated and a show cause notice is being issued to him,” she added.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has also tweeted a double confirmation on behalf of the minister.
"The Minister Dr_YasminRashid has not issued any discriminatory orders like this. One should not hurl any blame/allegation without concrete evidence. You may report the incident to concerned authorities," the official account stated.