MANSEHRA, Nov 20: More than eighty per cent students of the Higher Secondary Girls School in Oghi have started going to school in burqa following a threat by the local Taliban, Dawn has learnt.

It is learnt that the principal of the only higher secondary girls school in the Oghi tehsil of Mansehra had received a threatening letter from the Taliban last week asking him to make it compulsory for students from Class 7 to Class 12 to wear burqa. Otherwise, he would have to suffer serious consequences.

Sources said the letter did not have the sender’s name. The letter, which was handed over to police by the school authorities, said: “So far we did not carry out any activity in district Mansehra but we want to make it clear that if you do not make the burqa compulsory for students you will face serious consequences, take it is a warning.”

When this correspondent contacted the vice-principal of the school, Bibi Aftab, she confirmed that the letter had been received by the principal.

She said that for the safety of over 800 students, the administration made the wearing of burqa compulsory and called a meeting of the Parents-Teachers Association, which sought the help of the deputy police officer and the Oghi tehsil nazim.

Replying to a question she said: “We took the threat seriously because it was a matter of safety of students and administration personnel.”

She said that the PTA also helped the school administration and as a result over 80 per cent students now come to the school in a burqa and the others would also do the same in two to three days.

A girl student said that she and some of her classmates had decided not to wear the burqa at any cost. She said that most of the girls were wearing burqa only because of the pressure from the school administration and the fear of the local Taliban.