Pakistan's Co-ed university debars male, female students from mingling

Peshawar: A notification issued by the chief proctor of the University of Swat, a co-ed university, has mandated that male and female students would be penalised if found mingling whether on or off campus.

The Dawn reports that the notice, dated April 14, 2016 said that one is no longer allowed to communicate with their peers from the opposite sex on and off campus premises and will have to pay a fine in case they did. The clause added that "any male and female students found sitting or walking together will have to pay a penalty ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 5,000," reported Dawn.

As part of the disciplinary procedure, an "emergency meeting" will also be called with the students' parents, the notice said. In a later development, however, the University of Swat suspended its chief proctor Hazrat Bilal for issuing the notice without first bringing it to the knowledge of the vice-chancellor, said varsity spokesman Aftab.

The statement regarding gender discrimination now stands withdrawn, said the spokesman, adding that a committee has been constituted by the VC to probe the issue. Vice Chancellor, however, cleared and expressed that there is no space for gender discrimination at varsity and condemned the fake notification from unidentified person. Over 2,000 students are enrolled in 18 departments of the university.