Police detain barbers in Charsadda for ‘violating ban’ against styling of beards – Pakistan

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police in Shabqadar tehsil of Charsadda arrested at least four barbers for combing customers 'beards despite an unofficial "ban" imposed by a local merchants' union that described these beards as "non-Islamic". Thursday.

The incident was highlighted in a video widely spread on social networks this week.

In the video, you can see a man named Sameen, president of the merchants union, who guides the police in the arrest of hairdressers. He asks the hairdressers why they were shaping the beards in an "elegant" way, when there is a "ban" on it.

According to Sameen, a few days ago, the union had "banned the design of beards" and informed all hairdressers of the same. "Despite our decision, some store owners were cutting their beards with elegant designs," the union leader said in the video.

He goes on to say that in the union's complaint, the police had arrested four employees from different barbershops. "The police imposed a fine of Rs5,000 on each one and warned them not to mold their beards in that way," he said.

The Shabqadar police station confirmed the arrests, which took place on September 30. A service official at the station said DawnNewsTV, on condition of anonymity, that the police had received a complaint from an official of a merchant union.

"They complained that despite the ban on giving an elegant shape to the beard, some hairdressers still did it," said the police officer, adding that the men were released after a few hours of detention.

"We did not register a FIR (first information report) or fine them and release them at the request of the union," he said, explaining that the detained men had assured that they would no longer style the beards that way.

However, the Charsadda district police officer denied any police action against hairdressers for combing their beards in various designs. He said DawnNewsTV that a police group had raided and arrested the hairdressers "to resolve a small dispute between two hairdressers."

"Two workers had attacked each other and the police had arrested four men," he said.

The hairdressers who were arrested could not be reached for comment.

Separately, a hairdresser named Asif recalled that a similar decision to "ban" the style of beards was taken at a meeting of the Hairdressers Union of all Pakistan held in Charsadda a few months ago.

He said the decision had received the appreciation of the people of the tehsil and religious elders. The hairdresser said he also appreciated the police action.

& # 39; Against Islam & # 39;

A couple of months ago, a hairdressers 'union in Peshawar had also decided to ban the shape of clients' beards in elegant designs, calling it "against Islam."

The decision had been made at a meeting of the Association of Professional Hairdressers of Frontier, which claims to be the only registered and representative body of local barbers. The meeting was held in Peshawar and was attended by officials from across the province, according to the president of the association, Muhammad Sharif.

I had told him DawnNewsTV at the time when the participants had agreed not to design beards in different styles, including "French and other cuts," claiming that after the decision, most barbers in Peshawar had stopped combing their clients' beards.

The association had also distributed pamphlets in Peshawar and other districts, asking barbers to stop combing their beards. In Sikandarpura, Circular Road, Hashtnagri and other areas of Peshawar, barbers have displayed the brochure at the main entrance of their stores saying they agree with the decision.

"We have made the decision independently and without any pressure," said Muhammad Sharif, arguing that designing beards is contrary to Islamic laws and sunnah.

"If someone does not stop and continues to design the beards of customers, then the association will take action against offenders," he said, adding that the association would also contact the provincial government and the district administration to enforce the decision.

Shabir, a barber on Circular Road, had displayed the booklet at the front door of his shop announcing that he had stopped designing beards after the association's decision. "We were designing beards according to the demands of our customers," he said, adding that he now refuses to do so.

"Yes, the decision will affect the business since today a lot of young people come only because of the style of their beards," he acknowledged.

However, a barber in Gulbahar did not agree with the association's decision. "The headlines of our association offices must have the entire community on board before making such decisions," he said, and announced that he will not act on the brochure.

"It depends on our customers; whether they request a clean shave, cuts, French or other cuts, we will meet the demand."