Pakistani student alleges discrimination over wearing a veil

Peshawar, Pakistan: A Canadian-Pakistani MBBS student has alleged that she was roughed up by a professor for wearing a veil in the classroom in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Misbah Syed, a first-year student of MBBS at Khyber Medical College, said she had been covering face with a veil since she got admission to the college.

She said women classmates recently elected her as representative and soon after election, Professor Rahim Bangash asked her not to veil herself in the classroom from the next morning.

The student alleged the teacher also criticised women covering face with a veil saying he would not even allow his wife and daughter veil themselves.

"He (teacher) also made derogatory remarks about the veil to my  embarrassment in front of colleagues. I strongly reacted to the remarks and told him that it's a student's right whether or not to veil herself and that no one can force her into doing so. After that, he slapped and kicked me," she said told reporters here.

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Misbah also accused the teacher of harassing her.

She alleged that students veiling themselves and sporting beard were discriminated against by some teachers during oral examination, the Dawn reported.

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The student, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, said she had visited more than a dozen countries, including the US and the UK, but no one there had objected to her veiling herself.

"I got admission to Khyber Medical College only because my parents wanted me to be familiar with Pakhtun culture after spending years abroad," she said.

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Misbah demanded strict action against Professor Rahim and others discouraging students to veil themselves on campus.

"The action against the teacher, whose conduct is highly unbecoming, will help students get education in a harassment-free environment," she said.