Khyber Pakhtunkhwa university bans mixed-gender gatherings

In a bid to avoid any “untoward incident”, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Gomal University on Thursday imposed a complete ban on mixed gatherings of students and coupling (male and female) on its premises.

According to a notification issued by the varsity, “It is notified for all the concerned that gathering/coupling (Male & Female) is totally Banned in any ground, roads etc. beyond the premises of department.”

The university also directed “female students” to be careful and limit themselves in their classrooms and the department’s common rooms.

“Strict action would be taken against those students, violating the rules,” warned the varsity.

According to the university administration, the decision would help provide a better and safer environment for female students.

‘Rs5,000 fine for listening to music’

It is pertinent to mention here that the university had imposed a Rs5,000 fine on two students of its Institute of Computing and Information Technology (ICIT) Department for listening to music while classes were in session last year.

Then chairman of the ICIT Department had said the two students had been playing music on a Bluetooth speaker in a teaching area of the varsity.

He had added that their action, "disturbed the classes ongoing in the department at the time".

“Both students were warned multiple times to stop [the music] and were fined when they did not pay heed to the requests,” the chairman had said.