Khyber Pakhtunkhwa:
The Government Postgraduate College, Timergara, has issued guidelines directing girl students to refrain from participating in political events, birthday celebrations and other extracurricular activities while commuting to and from campus, Dawn reported.
Prof. Riaz Mohammad, the superintendent of the college, formally distributed these instructions, stressing the importance of adhering to local customs and asserting that it is in the best interest of the girl students.
He justified the decision by citing incidents reported in co-educational institutions and stated that their college wanted to prevent such occurrences, according to Dawn.
Furthermore, Prof. Riaz urged parents to maintain communication with the administration to help improve academic standards.
At a separate event at Government High School Adam Dherai in Adenzai Region, speakers highlighted the important role of teachers in society during a gathering to commemorate the retirement of teacher Syedul Ibrar.
Former district education officer Saeed Khan, principals Ayaz Khan and Bahadar Zeb, along with other dignitaries including former principal Gul Rehman, Dr. Ihteshamul Haq, poet Jehan Bakht Jehan and Qari Tahseenullah Qadri, praised the retiring teacher for his unwavering commitment to his duties.
During the ceremony, attendees including teachers, students and friends presented gifts to Syedul Ibrar as a token of appreciation for his dedicated services, Dawn reported.
It is a stark reality that Pakistan is among the most challenging countries for women to live in, evident in the denial of social rights, discrimination, honor killings, rapes, kidnappings, spousal abuse, forced marriages and forced abortions. This harsh truth places Pakistan as the sixth most unsafe place for women. Numerous national and international studies confirm the vulnerability of women in Pakistan. According to the 2018 World Economic Forum report, Pakistan ranks 148th out of 149 countries in women empowerment, as reported by The Nation.
Unfortunately, Pakistani women are often culturally marginalized, especially when it comes to education and recognition for their roles in reproduction and domestic duties. The female literacy rate, which stands at 45 percent, pales in comparison to the male literacy rate of 69 percent. Parental illiteracy and misinterpretations of Islamic teachings about women contribute significantly to this inequality.
Although gender inequality is a global problem, its consequences are deeply rooted in Pakistan, but society's response to this problem remains inadequate due to widespread ignorance and biased attitudes towards gender, The Nation said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Our staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)