Official in Balochistan district ban barbers from ‘stylish beards’
In a bizarre move, authorities in Balochistan’s Kharan district have prohibited ‘stylish’ beards as un-Islamic, warning barbers of heavy fines for violations.
“All barbers are restricted from cutting beards in a fashionable way which is against the principles of Islam according to all religious scholars,” said an order issued by the office of the Kharan District Assistant Commissioner Mohammad Baksh Sajdi .
“Keep the beards simple. Don’t design them,” said the order issued on May 29, according to a report in the Pakistani newspaper The Express Tribune.
The official told hairdressers to abide by the rule or face a heavy fine.
A copy of the order was also sent to other officers including the deputy commissioner, the district police officer, the tehsildar and area’s station house officer.
According to Assistant Commissioner Sajdi, a cleric in the area had complained about stylish beards “and that’s why the notification was issued.”
The order was later withdrawn as the government said there was no law to issue such an order, he said. “However, the magistrate has the authority to ban anything, so he summoned the barbers and verbally ordered them to avoid stylish beard cuts.”
On Friday, Sajdi was transferred from Kharan to Washuk, according to the report.