Minister asks Pakistani women to dress properly in Saudi Arabia

Minister said every woman pilgrim should take at least two ‘abayas’ along with her

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Mohammad Yousaf has advised ‘mehram’ [a close male relative accompanying the woman going to perform Hajj] to ensure that women dress modestly during their stay in Saudi Arabia.



While inaugurating a two-day training programme for pilgrims on Wednesday at Faisal Mosque, the minister said every year a lot of complaints had been received about Pakistani women pilgrims not covering themselves properly and modestly during their stay at Saudi Arabia. "Every single woman pilgrim should take at least two ‘abayas’ along with her," he said.

An official of the Ministry of Religious Affairs on the condition of anonymity said that during the Hajj it had been observed that mostly Pakistani women pilgrims did not follow the Saudi Arabian dress code for women strictly when they went out shopping or for other purposes.

“Even while performing Hajj they do not cover themselves properly and modestly,” he said, adding “People should understand the culture and tradition of they country they are travelling to. Saudis are very strict about their women covering themselves properly and modestly.”



In March, a female Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Punjab Assembly member submitted and withdrew a resolution calling to make the hijab mandatory at college-level across the province.

According to reports, PTI MPA Nabila Hakim Ali submitted the resolution during a Punjab Assembly session to demand that the hijab by made mandatory at all public and private colleges but later withdrew it for reasons unknown.

Meanwhile, Express News anchor Gharidah Farooqi said the MPA claims she drafted two different versions of a resolution, one in favour, and one against.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2017.