THIS Muslim country orders complete BAN on Burqa, 70 percent of population follows ISLAM, its not Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, the name is…

The bill also specifies that individuals who cover their faces for medical reasons, due to weather conditions, workplace requirements, cultural events, or civil defense purposes will be exempt from the ban.

New Delhi: Do you know that there is a country in the world where over 70 percent of the population follows Islam and the president is also Muslim, yet they have ordered a ban on women covering their faces? Kazakhstan, one of India’s key neighbours, has passed a significant law banning all types of face-covering clothing, including veils, in public places. This major step by the Kazakh parliament comes at a time when there is growing religious extremism and security concerns in the country.

According to the reports, this bill has now been sent to Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for the final approval. It is worth noting that more than 70 percent of Kazakhstan’s population is Muslim, but the country’s constitutional system is secular. President Tokayev himself follows Islam and observes its associated beliefs. He has performed Umrah in Mecca and also fasts during the month of Ramadan.

Why have the authorities ordered a ban on the burqa?

According to the authorities, any cloth covering the face of the women makes it difficult for them to identify individuals. This can pose a threat to public safety in the country.

Who all are exempted?

The bill also states that if a person covers their face for medical reasons, weather conditions, workplace requirements, cultural events, or under civil defense, they will be exempted from this ban.

Here are some of the important details:

• The government says that this step has been taken to maintain the country’s image as one that upholds secular policies and traditional cultural values.
• Officials stated that the niqab and full-face coverings are not mandatory in Islam
• These practices are often associated with foreign religious influences.

What did President Tokayev say about the Niqab?

In 2024, President Tokayev had said that the niqab is an outdated and unnatural garment, imposed on the country’s women by newly emerged extremists. He described it as being against Kazakhstan’s traditional culture. It is important to note that in recent years, the number of women wearing the niqab and covering their entire bodies in black clothing has increased on the streets of Kazakhstan. This reflects the country’s changing religious trends, which are in stark contrast to its secular image.

Kazakhstan has always been against these outdated rules. In 2017, Kazakhstan had imposed a ban on wearing the hijab for schoolgirls. In 2023, this ban was extended to include all students and teachers in schools. At that time as well, President Tokayev had said that a school is an educational institution where there is no place for religious attire.