 Abayas or burqas have been made mandatory for women who wish to perform Haj in 2007, Religious Affairs Secretary Wakeel Ahmed Khan said on Sunday. Khan told a seminar here that for the last three years, the Saudi Arabian government had been objecting about the way Pakistani women dress during Haj. “This is why we will provide abayas to women who will go for Haj in 2007 under the government’s Hajj scheme,” he said. “Moreover, people designated to take care of the Hujjaj there (Khuddam) will be asked to ensure that Pakistani women there do not get out of their houses and hotels sans abayas.” When the Haj scheme is announced officially, private Haj operators will also be made to follow this rule, he added. |