Suspended for trimming his beard

Iqra Public School has suspended a student for trimming his beard, Pakistan Today has learnt. Student Mohammed Hamza received a letter from the school administration on Tuesday, stating, “With immediate effect Mohammad Hamza s/o Mohammad Sharif of 9th class has been suspended for cutting beard and violating rules.”
Act of fundamentalism: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has taken notice of the matter. Speaking to Pakistan Today, KP Education Minister Sardar Hussain Babak said, “This is unacceptable. It is act of fundamentalism and extremism and will not be tolerated” The incident took place at the Iqra Public School located at Warsak Road which unilaterally punished 9th grade student Hamza on the minor charge of trimming his beard. Upon contact by Pakistan Today, the school management refused to comment on the matter.
‘Personal, not school discipline:’ Speaking to Pakistan Today, suspended student Mohammad Hamza said, “To trim my beard is a personal act. I did not violate school discipline. How can a personal act be made part of school discipline?” He said a clause in the school admission form disallowed students from trimming their beard. Hamza said, “I pointed out when I signed the school admission form that I do not agree to this clause and I will not follow it. However, when I did trim my beard, the school suspended me.” He added that he had not shaved but just trimmed his beard.
Hamza’s father Mohammad Sharif said, “I went to the school principal and promised my son will never trim his beard again. But he responded harshly and pushed me out of school.” KP Education Minister Babak called the suspension an act of ‘extremism’ from the school. “It is unacceptable and represents the form of extremism we are already fighting against,” he said. Babak promised an inquiry on the matter and promised strict action against the school administration if the suspension was proven.