First lady urges women to wear hijab

Staff Report

LAHORE: First Lady Nusrat Pervez Ashraf urged Muslim women to wear hijab, saying it does not prevent them from making progress.

While addressing the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Women and Family Commission’s (WFC) hijab conference on Saturday, she said that modesty was an ornament for women while hijab was the guardian of this ornament.

She said that Muslim women should not hesitate while wearing a veil. It does not hamper their performance in daily routine nor does it come into their way of progress, Nusrat added. The conference organised in connection with International Hijab Day was attended by a large number of women from all walks of life. Nusrat said that Islam ensured protection and respect for women. She said that women could show their abilities by keeping themselves within the limits of Islam. She paid tribute to the organisers of the conference and appreciated their efforts.

At the end of the conference, a declaration was read out in which developed countries of the world were demanded that they must immediately initiate steps to withdraw ban on wearing hijab. It said that Muslim women must not be denied of their right of freedom. The participants also protested against the American sacrilegous movie and vowed that everything could be sacrificed for the respect of Holy Prophet (PBUH).

During the conference, Nusrat also gave away hijab awards to Marwa al Sherbini (an Egyptian woman who was killed in Germany for wearing hijab), Marwa Qawachi (former Turkish parliamentarian), Yvonne Ridley (a British journalist), Marryam Jamila (a Muslim scholar) and Aafia Siddiqui. The awards were, however, received by young girls on the behalf of the recipients. Nusrat also distributed honorary shields amongst prominent women, including Musarrat Misbah (a beautician), Khanum Tayyaba Bukhari (scholar), Sarah Chaudhry (a former actress), Arooj Nasir (a TV presenter), Dr Kausar Firdous (former army captain) and Shehnaz Leghari (a pilot).

WFC President Samia Raheel Qazi presented honorary shields to Nusrat, Punjab governor’s wife Mussarat Latif Khosa and Ghazala Saad Rafique (wife of PML-N leader Saad Rafique).

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