DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Dec 28: Parents have rejected the Bannu board’s decision of making it obligatory for the girl students to affix their pictures in the exam forms, terming it a “cruel joke” with the people of the southern districts.

Through a notification issued by BISE, female students appearing in the SSC and Inter exams conducted by the board, were asked to provide their pictures.

This condition has touched off a heated debate in the area where girl students had never before been asked to provide photographs. In these areas, where Pakhtoon traditions are rooted firmly, parents are not expected to agree to this requirement, which they say militates against their norms.

On Friday, at a meeting of Nazims of various union councils, chaired by Sardar Fazal Ahmad Khan Saddozai, Nazim UC No 3 Dera city, the board chairman was asked to withdraw this condition.

The NWFP governor and district Nazim D.I. Khan were also asked to intervene. It was unanimously decided that no photograph of girl students would be provided to the Board when they submit exam forms or enrol themselves.