Pakistan Textbook Regulator Changes Cartoon Of Woman Showing Legs To One Wearing Salwar-Kameez

Pakistan Textbook Row: Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board of Pakistan recently faced the ire of many as they objected to a image of a woman in Class two book. The woman in the picture was wearing a western dress with her legs showing.

As per reports, the Board in hand-written note pointed out " Redraw keeping in view our own culture." The picture was with the note was shared on Twitter by Yassar Latif Hamdani, former Harvard Law visiting fellow and Barrister. The cartoon image of the woman has now been changed to a woman wearing salwar-kameez and dupatta.

Hamdani in the tweet wrote, "Pakistanis are so scared of women’s legs. Here is a textbook rejected by Punjab Textbook Board. It is clear that Pat cannot be a Pakistani name but we must raise the culture angle nonetheless. I mean live with it bro."

A human rights organisation of Pakistan named Shahzad Ahmed reportedly pointed out what the women in Pakistan's Punjab district actually wear. He wrote, "It seems that Punjab Textboard people never visited a Punjabi village, where they would see a lot of women wearing a lungi and not always it will cover the legs as Shalwar or Jeans will do. And it is truly cultural and totally acceptable. Are they going to ban Lungi?"

This is not the first instance of censorship in textbook. The Punjab district board which regulates textbooks comes under the Single National Curriculum (SNS) formed by Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan. The boy aims to bring the education in madrasas, public and private schools on the similar footing. This has drawn flak from several people of the country.

Hamdani spoke to The Print and revealed other controversial moves by the education board. He said, "For example, Muslim students from grades 1 to 5 are now required to do Quran Nazra. Additionally, religious content has also been added to English and Urdu textbooks."

"Since the minorities also read the same textbooks, this violates Article 22 (1) of the Constitution of Pakistan which says that no one should be forced to be taught a religion other than his or her own." The Lady Bird's famous characters Peter and Jane were also changed to Pervaiz and Jamila, Hamdani said.