PESHAWAR, Oct 15: The trend of wearing an `all enveloping veil` or burka is on the rise among young girls in the provincial capital.

`Some wear the black burka to cover their face and body while going to school whereas others are happy to wear it for they think it is a fashion,` said several girl students of a government school, interviewed by this scribe to know why all of them were wearing black burka.

Sana, a student of 10th class, said that modest women should observe purdah.

`But we all wear it because burka is in fashion these days,` she added.

Faryal, her friend and classmate, standing next to her,said thatshe also started wearing burka just last year.

`I wear it because my father is strict,` she said.

She said that many girls like her were pressured to wear burka just because it covered them from the glaring eyes and teasing remarks of the men when they came to school.

`I think a girl knows best how to fend off such teasingboys. Burka is not enough protection,` said Faryal, who thought thatit depended on a girl`s own character not the burka to protect her modesty.

The students, who wore the black veil, also called Fashioni Burka, said it came in different designs and sequences on it. The girls show off their new black burka and often make fun of those, who wear the old style shuttlecock shaped burka.

`They really look cute in these simple old burkas, Sumbal, another young girl wearing a Fashioni Burka, said ironically.

Every girl was trying to get a burka with a new sequence and design, the girls said.

The prices of burka range from Rs500 to Rs2000.

Maryam, a 6th grader, said that some girls wore veils because of family pressure and conservative background while others wore it because it was fast becoming a fashion.

`What would I like to wear is simple doputta or chuddar.

Not this burka,` said the young girl when asked about choice.

`I also don`t wear it because of my liking. Mostlygirls wear it because they have to walk home and it is a protection,` Sumbal burst out expressing her inner most emotions about the burka.

Some Pakhtun culturists have been voicing their concern over the rising trend of Arabic-style burka in the recent years. They have been concerned with the `Arabaisation` of Pakhtun culture, especially the dress code or veil used by women.

Prof Khadim Hussain said that it was done intentionally in the Pakhtun populated areas. Culture was the first victim of Talibanisation, he added.

In most of the Pakhtun populated areas, women wear modest clothing that differentiates them from the women of other area. The women from Swabi district use a certain chuddar called `chail` `White cotton cloth with red dots is reminiscent of a fight in which women were killed. Their blood made red spots on the shrouds. The chail reminds one of that, said Khalid , a young salesman on link road, Swabi.

In Mardan, Swat, Charssada and many dis-tricts women wear simple white chuddar as sign of modesty when they venture out of home. In many districts like Nowshera, Pabbi and southern districts women wear shuttlecock shaped burka.

In some parts of Peshawarcity, women wear black fashlonable burkas but the trend of Arab-style veils has grown during the last couple of years.

`People think that Arab culture is Islamic. But Islam is not limited to a certain dress code. It just promoteswearing a modest dress, said Mian Iftikhar Hussain, former culture minister of a nationalist political party in the province.

He said that instead of following Arab or western cultures, there was need for promotion of Pakhtun culture.