Peshawar: The local jirga in Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has banned women from going to places of entertainment.

In Salarzai township, local elders and political leaders decided in a jirga to place a complete ban on the entry of women from tourist sites.

Former Senator Maulana Abdul Rashid, speaking on the ban, said that women hanging out with men at tourist spots is a “violation of our traditions”.

We will not tolerate women and men walking together, he said.

In a video that has gone viral on social media, the former senator says that he wants the tourism sector in Bajaur to develop. “But we cannot allow obscenity and indecency in the name of tourism,” he said with reference to men and women being seen together at such locations.

He added that the people of the area do not take the law into their hands to enforce the decision as it was the responsibility of the government. “If the government does not take any steps, then the nation itself will come forward,” he continued.

In the same video, Maulana Abdul Rashid announced the decision of the jirga (tribal court) and took approval from about 400 people present there.

Speaking to Aaj News, Rashid said that their had been several instances in the past when women failed to ‘cover themselves appropriately’

“Tribal traditions do not give freedom to women in this way. This is why the Jirga unanimously took this decision,” he said.

Abdul Rashid said that he supported the decision of the JUI-F jirga as its head in the district.

He insisted that the decision is not against the Constitution or law. “Everyone has the right to demand measures according to their traditions.”

Author and writer Maulana Khanzeb, who belongs to Bajaur district and wrote a book on the history of Bajaur, has described the decision regarding the ban on women as very inappropriate.

Khanzeb told Aaj News that Bajaur has its own traditions, where women work alongside men in the fields.

He further said that according to Bajaur traditions, women can go wherever men go.

Referring to the history of Bajaur, he said that jirgas are held on national issues but this has never happened in the area’s history.

Maulana Khanzeb said that such decisions were being pushed through for personal and political gains. “It will have a negative impact on Bajaur.”

Abdul Rahman, a journalist from Bajaur, believes that more than 80 percent of women in the hilly areas are forced to do hard labour.

Abdul Rehman said that this decision was taken purely to achieve political objectives, as some political parties have differences among themselves.

He demanded of the tribal elders to hold a jirga in Bajaur to forbid people from extracting hard labour from women. “We should also socially boycott those who deprive women of their inheritance.”

Bajaur Deputy Commissioner Fahad Wazir told Aaj News that the Constitution ensures freedom of movement ot all citizens. “Everyone is allowed to go wherever they want.”

He said that similarly there is no restriction on women in Bajaur.

The DC said that such decisions have no legal status. “We can taken action against people who try to enforce such edicts.”

It may be noted that the Bajaur deputy commissioner had earlier referred to the letter regarding the ban on women in the marketplace and said that two persons involved in the matter had been arrested.

Wazir said if someone tries to impose illegal decisions in the future, the law will also take action against him.