ISLAMABAD—France’s ban of the burqa and niqab in April, which set cultural tensions simmering across Europe, strikes issues close to home for Pakistani women; many are forced to veil themselves, and many are increasingly choosing to veil themselves.
Just like the land itself, which has extremes of both barren desert and lush mountains, Pakistani women dress in fashionable western attire and burqas, with family, local culture, climate, and education influencing the type of covering a woman chooses.
Although a majority of the country is Islamic, Pakistani law does not require orthodox dress and women’s clothing reflects a gamut of views. In major cities such as Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi, as well as in some towns, most women wear dupattas, large scarves loosely draped over the head and chest. A lesser number of urban women wear burqas, and others wear form fitting western clothes, including jeans and T-shirts, on the streets.
Lalafat Aziz, a student in Islamabad who switched from wearing a burqa to a hijab because she was having difficulty breathing, said she thinks French Muslim women should have been consulted before the ban was put in place.
“The banning of the burqa and niqab in France should be looked at from the perspective of the women who live there and follow that tradition. The government should talk to those women before banning it,” she said.
Aziz added that she covers herself because she feels more comfortable veiled in public.
Just like the land itself, which has extremes of both barren desert and lush mountains, Pakistani women dress in fashionable western attire and burqas, with family, local culture, climate, and education influencing the type of covering a woman chooses.
Although a majority of the country is Islamic, Pakistani law does not require orthodox dress and women’s clothing reflects a gamut of views. In major cities such as Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi, as well as in some towns, most women wear dupattas, large scarves loosely draped over the head and chest. A lesser number of urban women wear burqas, and others wear form fitting western clothes, including jeans and T-shirts, on the streets.
Lalafat Aziz, a student in Islamabad who switched from wearing a burqa to a hijab because she was having difficulty breathing, said she thinks French Muslim women should have been consulted before the ban was put in place.
“The banning of the burqa and niqab in France should be looked at from the perspective of the women who live there and follow that tradition. The government should talk to those women before banning it,” she said.
Aziz added that she covers herself because she feels more comfortable veiled in public.
Saleha Tabassum a student that wears a dupatta, was in favor of the ban even though she said it impinges on people’s freedom of belief. “The French government is correct to protect its country’s traditions and culture, even though for individuals, the ban takes people’s beliefs away,” she said.
Tabassum said she was forced to wear a burqa while living in Saudi Arabia and said she thinks security is a good reason to ban the burqa. “I feel France is correct for banning the burqa and protecting its people from a threat that may be real,” she said.
Most Pakistanis agree that burqas pose security risks because of the face covering. In December a female suicide bomber wearing a burqa blew herself up in a crowd of people near a food distribution center close to the Afghan border. In April last year over 40 people were killed when two men in burqas blew themselves up in a refugee camp near the border.
Another student, Faiza Iqbal, summed up the complicated situation, “Any country has a right to protect its national interests but women also have the right to choose how they live their lives,” she said.
Next....More Women Choosing Coverage
Tabassum said she was forced to wear a burqa while living in Saudi Arabia and said she thinks security is a good reason to ban the burqa. “I feel France is correct for banning the burqa and protecting its people from a threat that may be real,” she said.
Most Pakistanis agree that burqas pose security risks because of the face covering. In December a female suicide bomber wearing a burqa blew herself up in a crowd of people near a food distribution center close to the Afghan border. In April last year over 40 people were killed when two men in burqas blew themselves up in a refugee camp near the border.
Another student, Faiza Iqbal, summed up the complicated situation, “Any country has a right to protect its national interests but women also have the right to choose how they live their lives,” she said.
Next....More Women Choosing Coverage
More Women Choosing Coverage
While some Pakistani women are forced by their families to cover themselves with a hijab or burqa, increasingly other women are choosing to wear hijabs and burqas either because they feel more comfortable covered in public or because they have a moral conviction that this is the right way to dress.
Some women hold the opinion that the increase in burqas and hijabs in Pakistan is also in part a reaction against the prohibition of veiling in the West.
While most educated women in Pakistan believe that covering the face is not required by their religion, veils have become a symbol of a good or respectable woman in Pakistan.
Ayesha Bashir, an elementary school teacher in Islambad said she has noticed more and more women donning the hijabs and burqas.in her community.
“I have noticed a trend toward wearing a covering like a burqa in both the elite/super wealthy class and poor or uneducated class,” she said.
Rafia Arshad, a radio producer living in Islamabad said she dresses to fit her situation, which often means covering her head and wearing a long shirt, known as a kurta, in public.
“I have freedom to choose how I dress, however, that is also influenced by where I will be in public,” she said.
“I may have an open mind and like wearing certain clothes but I am also obligated by the societal norms to dress in a way that is deemed appropriate,” Arshad told The Epoch Times.
Pakistani women wear fashionable—sleeveless, tailored—clothes to family functions, such as weddings, parties, and in places where there are more non-Pakistanis. In public markets where there are a lot of strange men, in front of elders, or at events like funerals, most women choose to be more conservative and cover their heads.
Some women hold the opinion that the increase in burqas and hijabs in Pakistan is also in part a reaction against the prohibition of veiling in the West.
While most educated women in Pakistan believe that covering the face is not required by their religion, veils have become a symbol of a good or respectable woman in Pakistan.
Ayesha Bashir, an elementary school teacher in Islambad said she has noticed more and more women donning the hijabs and burqas.in her community.
“I have noticed a trend toward wearing a covering like a burqa in both the elite/super wealthy class and poor or uneducated class,” she said.
Rafia Arshad, a radio producer living in Islamabad said she dresses to fit her situation, which often means covering her head and wearing a long shirt, known as a kurta, in public.
“I have freedom to choose how I dress, however, that is also influenced by where I will be in public,” she said.
“I may have an open mind and like wearing certain clothes but I am also obligated by the societal norms to dress in a way that is deemed appropriate,” Arshad told The Epoch Times.
Pakistani women wear fashionable—sleeveless, tailored—clothes to family functions, such as weddings, parties, and in places where there are more non-Pakistanis. In public markets where there are a lot of strange men, in front of elders, or at events like funerals, most women choose to be more conservative and cover their heads.
Students Keep and Discard Veils
Some girls discard their burqas when they enter university while others choose to keep wearing them.
Siddrah Haroon a student at a local college in Islamabad said she knows many girls who have abandoned their traditional garb.
“I have known of many girls who are forced to wear burqas, so when they leave their homes they have it on but when they get to their university they take it off,” Haroon said.
Other students, such as Sania Shah, decide to keep wearing burqas. Shah said she felt it was her moral obligation to cover herself and that no one from her family forced her.
“I feel very secure wearing a burqa, which is why I wear one,” Shah said.
“I think any woman who is attending university and wears a burqa, is doing so out of free will because she is free to attend university and get a higher education,” Shah added.
