Wearing of Hijab has been made mandatory for female students and teachers at co-educational institutions in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government in PoK mandated the wearing of wearing of Hijab.

According to a notification issued by the PoK government, if the order is violated, action will be taken against the head of the institution.

Meanwhile, local journalists have criticized the decision of the government.

Mariana Baabar took to Twitter to stress that women should be given a choice. She said, “AJK government has made it mandatory for female students and teachers to wear the hijab in mixed-gender educational institutions, a circular issued on Monday stated. #give women a choice #stop dictating to women and men.”

On the other hand, Murtaza Solangi compared the decision with that of the Taliban. He said, “First Afghan Taliban broke the ‘shackles of slavery’, as declared by Taliban Khan and now his great deputy, the PM of AJK, has broken the shackles of slavery.”

The year 2022 saw massive protest and controversy regarding Hijab ban in India.

The hijab protests began on January at the Government Girls PU College in Karnataka’s Udupi when six students alleged that they had been barred from classes for insisting on wearing the headscarf. Further, the students wearing saffron scarves confronted the Muslim students raising 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans. The school authorities intervened to keep both groups of students away from each other.

Students in Karnataka were furious over the hijab ban imposed in several junior colleges of the state. The state government and education department had released a uniform dress code for students to ensure uniformity in the educational places.