Women not allowed without dupatta in Imran Khan's 'Naya Pakistan'?

Image Courtesy: Reuters

Punjab Civil Secretariat in Pakistan will not allow women inside a government building without a dupatta or headscarf, according to ministerial orders. 

The order was issued by the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Minister of Punjab Dr Yasmin Rashid. 

Following the order, people have been criticising the rule questioning how women's clothes determine her entry into a government building. 

A Twitter user Sidra Butt went to the minister's block to check whether the orders were in fact true.

Entry for women into the Punjab civil secretariat depends on if they are wearing a dupatta or not. Orders for this dress code enforcement allegedly came from a woman minister - Yasmeen Rashid. You cannot and should not police women’s bodies like this. https://t.co/c7BaL4m31T — Sehar Tariq (@sehartariq) October 19, 2018

She was indeed denied entry inside the premises. Sidra recorded the video of her experience. The video went viral following which people were seen outraging over the orders. 

In the clip, the guard can be heard telling Sidra that Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid passewd the order after a woman came to meet her 'inappropriately dressed'.

Sidra, however, argued that she was not wearing any objectionable dress. 

"Wear a dupatta and we will allow you in," the gaurd told her.

Many Twitter users, including Sehar Tariq from the US Institute for Peace, condemned the new rule. 

Tariq questioned the "rationale of this absurd order."

She wrote on Twitter, "Entry for women into the Punjab civil secretariat depends on if they are wearing a dupatta or not. Orders for this dress code enforcement allegedly came from a woman minister - Yasmeen Rashid. You cannot and should not police women’s bodies like this."

Several social media users have also criticised Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and questioned if this is the 'Naya Pakistan' he wanted to create.

However, there are some people in support of the decision as they feel it is a 'moral' step and must go on. 

(With ANI Inputs)