The Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University in Peshawar, KP bans female students from wearing jeans and tights on campus.
The notification comes following the ‘modest dressing’ on the campus. Students are advised to strictly adhere to the new dress code. “Students have to wear knee-length kurtas, shalwars, and white dupattas, which has been made compulsory for them as per the new dress code,” the notification read.
Furthermore, the university had also advised students to wear their Student ID cards all the time on the premises. The new code of conduct and dress code has been issued after the notification from the registrar’s office. Students found violating the code of conduct will be fined Rs.1000.
The issue of introducing a new dress code is not new, former Governor Shah Farman had already asked the public universities to change their open dress code policy after reports of an increase in the cases of sexual harassment were noted in various public universities.
Read more: Hazara University issues dress code for males, females in campus
The new KP Governor Haji Ghulam Ali is also following the policy of his predecessor.
This is not the first time the policy to regulate the dress code has been introduced in Pakistani varsities.
Back in 2o21, the Federal Government had issued an official dress code for teachers and staff of educational institutes. The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) asked female teachers not to wear jeans and tights. They also banned male teachers from wearing jeans and T-shirts.
The letter by FDE recommended a formal dress for females which includes an appropriately simple and decent shalwar kameez, trousers, and shirt with dupatta/shawl. Meanwhile, male teachers will wear shalwar kameez and waistcoats. Also, male teachers should regularly get haircuts.
Females observing “pardah” can wear a scarf/hijab but they should be neat and clean. However, teachers are banned from wearing jeans and tights at all costs.