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Punjab minister backtracks after uproar over Hijab statement

By Web Desk
March 14, 2017

LAHORE: Punjab minister for Higher Education Syed Raza Ali Gilani on Tuesday backtracked after his announcement of  an  incentive for female students who choose to wear Hijab in the public sector colleges caused uproar.

Speaking at a ceremony, Gilani asked the girls to wear Hijab. “I am not asking you to do it for free,” he said adding that Hijab wearing girls who fail to fulfill  attendance requirement would benefit from the education department's decision.

A private television quoted the minister as saying that teachers would begin the classes after reciting Hadees. 

The Punjab government, however, rejected the report calling it "absolutely wrong".   The brief statement was issued on the official twitter account of the government of Punjab which offered no explanation for the speech of the education minister which was aired by private television channels.

Later, talking to Geo News, Gilani claimed that media misreported his speech. "It is only a proposal, no incentive has been given yet," he said.

Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, daughter of PPP leader Asif Zardari, appeared to be critical of the decision and took to twitter to question the logic behind the decision .

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