KP govt asks schoolgirls across the province to 'cover up'.

Peshawar -- The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has decided to make it mandatory for female students of government-run schools to cover themselves up in the province's educational institutions, Adviser to Chief Minister on Elementary and Secondary Education Ziaullah Bangash said on Monday.

The order was first circulated in Haripur district last week, where the district education officer asked all principals and headmistresses of government schools to ensure that girl students wore an abaya, gown or chador.

'We came across some situations during our recent visits to tribal areas and Kohistan that prompted us to take this decision,' Bangash told media.

'We have sensitive areas in the province which require safety measures for the children,' he said, adding that the decision is 'also in line with the tribal values and the traditions of Islam'.

The adviser further said: 'This step has been taken particularly to remove the doubts raised by parents about the safety of their children.

'We have to take decisions which are in the best...