Hazara University in Mansehra has issued a new dress code for students, administration staff, and faculty members last week.
According to the reports, the university has asked students and staffers to wear abayas, scarf, and shalwar kameez instead of skinny jeans, tights, and t-shirts. Moreover, the university administration has also banned heavy makeup, wearing excessive jewelry, and the use of big handbags.
This notification is issued by Hazara University about the dress code for boys and girls. I don't know why the @PTIKPOfficial govt is radicalizing academic institutions remember it's not for the first time but is systematically manufactured. @ammaralijan @NidaKirmani @nighatdad pic.twitter.com/RoUnKrDmk2
— Sharifullah Wazir 🚩 (@Sharifwazir0733) January 9, 2021
Similarly, the administration has also asked male students no to wear shorts, chains, slippers, and skin-tight jeans in the university. They have also restricted male students from keeping long hairs and ponytails.
Read more: Ban on lipstick retracted by AJK University
Further disciplinary actions require students to wear university cards. The administration has asked the administration staff to wear tidy and presentable clothes during working hours. Teachers and academics are also prohibited from wearing shorts, skinny jeans, slippers, earrings, and wrist chains. Moreover, teachers are also expected to wear black gowns during lectures.
The prescribed dress code was approved in the 22nd meeting of the academic council held on December 29th, 2020 headed by the university dean.
The action has been taken on the orders of the Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shah Farman, who is also the chancellor of the university.
Previous instances of regulating dress code
This is not the first time any varsity in the KP and Pakistan has reinforced the dress code for the students.
Previously, a private varsity had promulgated a ban on female students wearing jeans at the campus.
Students at #Hazara University in #Pakistan’s northwestern city of Mansehra say the institution's new dress code reflects an 'extreme level of conservatism' || #Education https://t.co/0UgG4kk9aF
— Arab News Pakistan (@arabnewspk) January 10, 2021
A couple of years back, district education officer, Haripur had made it mandatory for girls to wear the chador, abaya, or gown while going to schools and colleges. Samina Altaf, District Education officer issued a notification instructing the headmasters and principals of all the government schools and colleges to make female students follow the new dress code. She gave a week to the school and colleges in the area to make the necessary adjustments.
Read more: Pakistan’s Abaya compulsion in schools: Can it protect females from harassment?
In another incident, abayas were distributed among school and college female students in a remote area of KP.
Three years back, authorities at a private university in Islamabad, FAST-NU, announced that women cannot wear westernized dresses while attending university. It promulgated a ‘proper’ dress code to be followed by women on university premises.
The don’ts included disallowing women from wearing tight/fitted jeans, trousers, and sleeveless shirts/kameez. Female students were also prohibited from wearing short shirts, putting on make-up, or jewelry in the university.
While varsities across Pakistan primarily focus on regulating the dress code of female students- the latest instructions of Hazara University addresses everyone present on the premises.