Following protests, the army’s Srinagar-based PRO has withdrawn a guideline to Kashmiri journalists not to wear the pheran , a traditional Kashmiri attire, to army press briefings.
The army said the earlier guideline had been inadvertent. An invitation to the press briefing on Saturday by the Commander of the Srinagar-based 15th Corps, said journalists should not come wearing pherans to the briefing.
The guideline had triggered a row with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday calling it “unacceptable”. Local journalists on Friday protested the army’s guideline saying a pheran, a tweed over-garment worn by Kashmiris during the winter months, is a traditional Kashmiri dress.
Mr Omar Abdullah tweeted on Saturday: “If the army has in fact told journalists not to wear a pheran to Corps headquarter events that is unacceptable and the order should be withdrawn.
“People wear their pheran with pride. It’s part of our identity aside from the best way to stay warm in the cold. Can’t ban pherans, ” he tweeted.
