Pakistan, July 30 -- A Pakistani Senate committee on Wednesday directed the country's central bank to stop commercial financial institutions from forcing female staff members to wear abayas and headscarves, ordering the immediate implementation of a previous policy declaring national attire as the official dress code.

The directive came during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue after lawmakers raised concerns that women employed by several financial institutions, including Islamic banks, continued to face pressure to comply with strict religious dress codes despite earlier instructions from the Senate committee.

"All banks should issue a circular and share it with us," committee chairman Senator Saleem Man...