Pakistan Islamists demand hijab be made compulsory

Multan - Female members of Pakistan's Jamaat-e-Islami Islamic party have demanded that the hijab be made compulsory. The leader of Jamaat-e-Islami also urged the nation to observe International Hijab Day on Sept. 4.

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has demanded that the hijab be made compulsory in the Constitution of Pakistan. Ameer Syed Munawwar Hasan, JI's leader, appealed to the nation to observe International Hijab Day "in a befitting manner to counter the infidels' conspiracies against the Islamic tenets" Business Recorder reported. More than 200 women belonging to JI held a demonstration in Multan to protest against "media campaigns targeting hijab." Suitably attired in all encompassing hijabs the women declared “Hijab is the identity of women and the media is unaware of the holiness of hijab which is helping the western hands.” The Tribune reported the women called Western countries conspirators against Islam. They urged women to mark World Hijab Day as a counter protest against Western immorality and propaganda against the hijab.