Pak-Taliban decree forces school students to wear veil

Over eighty per cent students of the higher secondary girls school in a town of Maneshra wear veil (burqa) before going to school following a threat issued by the local Taliban, a media report has said.

Peshawar, Nov 21 : Over eighty per cent students of the higher secondary girls school in a town of Maneshra wear veil (burqa) before going to school following a threat issued by the local Taliban, a media report has said.

According to the Dawn, the principal of the only higher secondary girls school in the Oghi town of Mansehra had received a threatening letter from the Taliban last week asking him to make it compulsory for students from Class 7 to Class 12 to wear burqa.

"So far we did not carry out any activity in district Mansehra but we want to make it clear that if you do not make the burqa compulsory for students you will face serious consequences, take it is a warning," said the letter issued by the rebels.

Confirming this news the vice-principal of the school, Bibi Aftab, said that for the safety of over 800 students, the administration made the wearing of burqa compulsory.

"We took the threat seriously because it was a matter of safety of students and administration personnel," she said.

A girl student said that she and some of her classmates had decided not to wear the burqa at any cost, adding that that most of the girls were wearing burqa only because of the pressure from the school administration.

ANI