ISLAMABAD: The National University of Science and Technology on Tuesday barred female students and faculty members from smoking in campus, while designated a special area for males to smoke.
In a notification, the NUST administration prohibited females from smoking in campus or in designated areas, which were allowed only to male students and members. A first violation would lead to Rs1,000, a second violation would lead to Rs1,500, while a third violation will lead to a fine of Rs2,500.
The Islamabad-based university is being criticised for its move on social media, with Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari condemning NUST’s ‘gender-biased’ and ‘discriminatory’ approach.
Good to discourage smoking but discriminatory approach towards girl students and gender-biased rules cannot be acceptable. Wrong message being given to our young students – that it is okay to discriminate against women. Banning smoking for all on campus would be far healthier too pic.twitter.com/F7lgHcgO3T
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) September 19, 2018
Here are the other reactions
Looking for female NUST students to possibly challenge the gender specific smoking ban.
— Yasser Latif Hamdani (@theRealYLH) September 20, 2018
#NUST university frequently in the news for displaying such problematic values, views and actions. Might as well rename it SATYAA-NUST 🤦🏻♀️
— MEESHA SHAFI (@itsmeeshashafi) September 20, 2018
https://twitter.com/Irumf/status/1042669803830489088
A top Pakistani university doing its bit to reinforce the cultural stereotype that 1. Any woman who smokes is of loose morals and 2. Is hiding it from her parents regardless of her age pic.twitter.com/RIUKytMyFO
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) September 19, 2018