Women police officials in Faisalabad have been prohibited from wearing niqab, burqa, or gowns over their uniforms while on duty.
This new directive has been issued by the senior superintendent of police operations as part of a set of uniform standard operating procedures (SOPs) for women police personnel.
The order emphasizes that female officers must keep their faces visible at all times during duty hours. It stresses that the policewomen could not wear burqa or hide their identity while on duty.
SSP (Operations) Hasan Javed explained that the visibility of faces is crucial for identification purposes and to prevent potential security threats. "There is no identification if the face is veiled, and a terrorist could disguise themselves in such attire. Hence, it is important for female officers to be easily identifiable," he stated.
Station House Officer (SHO) Madiha Irshad confirmed the receipt of these orders and assured that they are being implemented immediately. "Orders have been received to keep the faces visible, and we are taking steps to enforce this directive without delay," she said.
The directive has been justified on security grounds, with officials expressing concerns that covering one's face could pose a security threat. The visibility of the female officers' faces is deemed essential for maintaining security and ensuring the officers can be properly identified at all times.
