Introducing a new policy, Pakistan’s Bahria University has banned male and female students from sitting together or forming groups. According to Pakistani media reports, the Registrar of the University has asked the professors to ensure that males and females are seated separately during classes. Apart from that, the formation of any groups even for academics has been prohibited by the university.

Move to reduce male-female interaction

Through the policy, the university has also asked the professors to make time tables in such a way that the students do not have enough time to move from one campus to another. This move has come about to create busier schedules for the students so that the male-female interaction can be reduced significantly.

Additionally, separate leisure visits for males and females have also been proposed.

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This has happened in other universities as well

Recently, in a similar move, the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) in Lahore had attracted backlash on social media for their decision to separate the seating arrangements for male and female students. According to a notification signed by the Deputy Registrar at UET Lahore, the university had directed the administration to make separate seating arrangements for male and female students in the cafeteria. However, according to some media reports, the university, after receiving widespread criticism for the move, had decided to withdraw the notification. 

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However, this comes only as official notifications of the policies as the terms outlined in both the notifications are already widely implemented in most universities across Pakistan, if only informally. Additionally, some universities have also implemented strict dress codes for women.

The policy, however, has met with great criticism on Twitter, with users terming the move as radical and shocking.

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