KHYBER: Youngsters are fast adopting modern hairstyles here despite their elders’ continued preference for traditional simplicity.

They’re seen explore trendy haircuts to enhance their appearance and look different from others, using the internet to discover unique designs.

The barbers have equipped salons with modern tools and equipment to cater to the youth’s needs.

Sadaqat Khan, a barber with over 25 years of experience, told Dawn that the local youth had become so demanding that they requested the haircuts of fashion models, film stars and sportsmen after producing their pictures downloaded from the internet.

He said youngsters had a strong preference for the ‘deep fauji’ hairstyle, with one-side, two-side, slope and simple cut also gaining popularity.

“In order to cater to young customers, we use both manual and electronic tools,” he said.

The barber said he hadn’t got any training for modern hairstyles and used their experience to live up to the visitors’ expectations.

Mohammad Bilal, a young salesman in a Landi Kotal Bazaar store, told Dawn that the ‘deep fauji’ cut with zero number trimming was the most sought-after hairstyle among the local youth, with a phase-out of the slope and side cuts due to the evolution of haircutting styles online.

He said the adoption of modern hairstyles caused a positive change in the lifestyle of Bara youth, who were denied exposure to modern influences during a decade-long period of militancy.

Fawad Jan, a college student in Sipah area of Bara, said militants of the outlawed Lashkar-i-Islam used to keep long hair but forcibly trimmed the hair of youth in public for one reason or another.

“From 2005 to 2014 was a suffocating and frustrating time for Bara’s youth as their desires were suppressed after being declared un-Islamic or against the local customs,” he said.

Most Bara salons were either forced by LI militants into shutting down or abandoned by owners for their own safety.

However, they reopened shops after the restoration of peace and the return of the majority of the internally displaced families after 2015. The youth no longer fear visiting salons to get the hairstyle of their liking.

Asghan Shah, another Bara resident, said the modern hairstyles had led to a decline in the use of the traditional skullcaps among youngsters though they’re once considered an essential part of tribal customs.

He said youth thronged salons ahead of festivals and weddings though such visits were not common in Bara just two decades ago.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2024