Hazara University located in Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is currently in the limelight. Social media is engaged in a widely controversial debate. Following the university’s recently renewed dress code policy, netizens are now wondering if the institute has taken a step into extreme conservatism.
During the university’s 22nd meeting, held on December 29th, the administration imposed strict rules and regulations, citing what the students and faculty members can and cannot wear. According to the policy, the female students are forbidden to wear skinny jeans, t-shirts, short shirts, heavy makeup/jewelry, and carry big bags.
On top of that, certain somber colors have been specified for their abaya and or scarves. Males are not safe from these rules either- shorts, skinny/ripped jeans, jewelry, shaggy beards, and long hair, among other things, are banned for the male students and staff members.
Of course, we believe uniforms teach us discipline and unity during our school days, but Pakistanis think it’s a bit too much to impose these rules on a university level. Before we get into the reactions, let’s take a look at the official notice issued by Hazara University.
Public Reaction
This official notice was shared on Social media and has since been making rounds on the internet. It seems this KP university has divided the public once again in their opinions. While a good majority of people are speaking against this set of rules, a handful of netizens also believe it is a step in the right direction.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at these reactions:
Made my day…
This one made my day wallah.
Pakistani University bans Jeans, T-shirts and makeup for female students.
❤🇵🇰❤
— Parvez Ibni Hajira. (@IbnParvez) January 10, 2021
Naya Pakistan?
Hazara University Mansehra has come up with a ridiculous notification imposing a strict dress code on students… Welcome to Naya Pakistan, where universities instead of focusing on academics, research, qualified faculty, better facilities have started regulating dressings. pic.twitter.com/bd2oh0fmDh
— The Reluctant Hazarian (@ReluctntHazrian) January 7, 2021
Moral policing
In the meantime, Hazara university goes ahead with moral policing! pic.twitter.com/rvQ3smF6nj
— Faizullah Jan (@faizjan) January 8, 2021
What changed?
It was a university of KP where lynching of Mashal Khan took place and the university looked the other way. #DressCode #HazaraUniversity https://t.co/kszBqXK3SJ
— Tania Saleem Palijo (@TaniaPalijo) January 9, 2021
A matter of human rights
In #Pakistan🇵🇰,Hazara University(Mansehra) has issued a notification on 6th Jan 2020 under which human rights of students are being violated under the guise of dress code.
The PM Pakistan @ImranKhanPTI should take immediate stern notice of this and suspend this notification.
🗣😡 pic.twitter.com/14VriGdV5O— M.A.Gholey❤🇵🇰 (@magholey) January 10, 2021
For better or for worse?
Dunia 1959 mein chand se hoker wapis agaye thi, aur Pakistan 2020 mein univeristies students ko dress code per patronise kerahi hain..
We are doomed unless we change this mentality.
— Mustafa T. Wynne (@musswynne) January 7, 2021
Does this really bridge the gap between the rich and the poor?
New dress code announced for students in KP universities: One wonders who are the advisers of Prime Minister Imran Khan that his government is embroiled in such non-issues and petty things like deciding dress codes for students. Would that he had done something good for the poor.
— Zubair Qureshi (@zubair_layyah) January 9, 2021
As we mentioned earlier, not all of the reactions were negative. Some people are pro dress code policy. Let’s take a look:
https://twitter.com/PaKhair2/status/1347842530931429379
Dress Code Policy Hazara University – KP Govt Stance
I think it's good to have a decent uniform pic.twitter.com/reFTUNFuRV— Waqas Ali Khan (@WAKhan_) January 9, 2021
Dress code is fine in oxford but not fine in Pakistan. Why sir? https://t.co/NhZs2zVTy4
— Fajar (@Fajarali24) January 10, 2021
According to the reports, this policy was issued as per the instructions given by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman. The spokesperson of the provincial government and special adviser on education to the chief minister, Kamran Bangash also endorsed this change. He said:
Each university is allowed to adopt its own dress code. The girls are not bound to follow the dress code strictly and no university is allowed to violate the set standards of the dress code in the province.
But even the students of Hazara University are not buying it- they believe the institute should rather build scholarship programs to bridge the wealth gap. Speaking to Arab News, one student pointed out how segregation between the sexes is already in place.
Our university already has in place restrictions on students’ gathering and it isn’t a good idea to recognize someone’s character by his or her clothes. Girls and boys are already not allowed by the university to sit together within university premises.
Whether or not this new dress code policy by Hazara University is justified, we’ll let you, the readers, decide. What do you think? Is it a good idea to ban certain items of clothing to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor? Or does this country need a more permanent solution? Share your views in the comments section.
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It’s a very good step. PD
It’s the best step the university has taken. This the the need of the time and must be implemented in all universities with immediate effect. Students should enter the universities with the only aim of gaining purposeful knowledge and not to show off their bodies or wealth or to that matter filth of western cultures please.