J&K Education Dept. withdraws ban on ‘pheran’

A man working on a “pheran” in Srinagar.

A ban order barring officials from wearing pheran , a long woollen winter dress, to the office of Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) in north Kashmir’s Langate, which triggered a massive online campaign against it, was withdrawn on Thursday.

Chief Education Officer, Kupwara, Mohammad Shafi War, said the order issued by the Langate zonal officer, Agha Abdul Rasheed, “has been withdrawn.”

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Pheran is part of our culture. The earlier order was passed after some employees would come to work in their night dresses,” said Mr. War. The earlier move evoked sharp responses from politicians and civil society in Kashmir, which is experiencing a cold wave with sub-zero temperatures. The

pheran is preferred attire to battle the cold. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday uploaded pictures wearing a

pheran to protest against the ban. “ My father and I have worn

pheran s to official functions and will continue to do so,” said Mr. Abdullah, as he uploaded pictures of his father Dr. Farooq Abdullah, and himself, in pictures wearing the dress.

Roohi Nazki, a restaurateur, started an online campaign in favour of the

pheran , garnering a massive response from netizens in Kashmir and abroad.