When NUST introduced its designated area for students who wanted to smoke on campus, people were stoked! There were still penalties and fines for students caught smoking outside the designated area and tbh, people were okay with it.
However, the excitement soon died down when the sexist end of the policy came to the surface.
Girls were prohibited from entering these smoking areas and had to bear serious repercussions. In simpler terms, these “designated smoking zones” were an all-boys territory.
The gender-biased smoking ban has ruffled feathers across the nation and people are speaking up against it.
Because cigarettes are dangerous for a man’s lungs and a woman’s character.
And since woman’s character > health issues, hence the highly commendable (read: SEXIST) policy!
NUST – always making us proud! pic.twitter.com/q0sKtLjcll
— Fehmeen Anwar (@AnwarFehmeen) September 18, 2018
Like many other enraged individuals, Meesha Shafi also shared her thoughts about this illogical and discriminatory policy.
#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
Can we please appreciate the MAJOR shade thrown at NUST here?
SATYAA-NUST needs to start trending on Twitter soon. The singer, lyricist, and actor, has highlighted how the institute has a history of coming up with such questionable policies and acts which tend to hinder freedom of students within the premises of their academic institution.
Even though Meesha has been outspoken about numerous discriminatory issues in the past, this time she did not get a lot of support from the general public.
Yes, NUST has a stubborn administration but there are no. of ways in which they have excelled including empowering Women to pursue professionally. People should do some ground reality check before twittering an overgeneralized statement.
— Fawad Ali (@HighonCarbz) September 20, 2018
People came in huge numbers to support the institution and it’s credibility in such a complex situation.
It should not bother you atleast until you don’t know the reason. Smoking had been banned for both genders but they recently made some smoking zones. When an authority has to take a big decision, it has to cater for all stakeholders which includes girls’ parents.
— Danyal Saleem Khan (@idanyalkhan) September 20, 2018
Seems like Pakistanis have too much faith in NUST’s administration to consider how the policy is indeed a problem. You either make an amenity or a luxury available for everyone or you remove it altogether. You cannot make it available to one side or gender and claim that it is for the best.
Excuse me you are talking about an institute, an educational institute to be more precise.
You might be a celebrity but don’t get too far and act wisely. This is not funny.
— Asad Ali (@asadpk) September 20, 2018
Why you have problem ? It’s administration decisions how they run the university #Nust @Official_NUST
— Engr. Faizan Khilji (@engrFaizan55) September 20, 2018
Eventually, people thought that it was okay to mock her and her potential just because she had pointed fingers at another renowned name in Pakistan.
Whatever NUST did how does that concern you ? … And how’s this gender discrimination? .. if u want saray mil k sutta lagai then bring it on xD 😂
— Tahoor Aasim (@AasimTahoor) September 20, 2018
A Bachelors of Arts from NCA Waooooohhhhhh! Now you can ridicule the premium institution of engineering studies of Pakistan. 😡
Phr kuch kha to kho gi #harass kr diya. 🤣🤣🤣— Malik Haider (@MalikHaiderrr) September 20, 2018
She was instructed to be concerned about herself and her work rather than other matters.
Miss dekhain jis ka jo kam ho ussay wahan tak hi mehdood rehna chahiye, app ki “so called” surili awaaz ko mazeed acha bnanay k liye bhi engineers k bnaye huay instruments use hotay hain, so please ali zafar jaisay achay insan ki tarha aik achay instituion ko badnam na karen
— IMMAD AASIM (@immad_aasim) September 20, 2018
I think you should only give ur precious advice to ur industry related matters. The music you are ruining pls try to improve that. Education sector is far more superior then ur education and expertise
— Ch Ali Waqar (@ChAliWaqar) September 20, 2018
Obviously feminism ne bhe beech main rullna tou tha he.
I always fail to understand what u feminists are trying to bring up in this nation ??? There wasn’t anything wrong with the notice ! Tm logo ka dimagh kharab hy jo khainch taaan k mardo ki braberi krny ki nakaam kosish krna chorta ni !!!
— Eram (@EramAltaf19) September 20, 2018
What people have failed to understand is that the matter truly is about basic equality.
Thing is no one was triggered when it was a smoke free campus.
— Waleed Khan (@waleedk707) September 20, 2018
okay so @Official_NUST
U mean to say it’s okay for the Boys to smoke in designated areas while Women are blacklisted to smoke
Oh hello ..
Can someone explain why it’s okay for the boys ? pic.twitter.com/5cvoQqDH8d— Irum Azeem Farooque (@Irumf) September 20, 2018
Not to overlook the fact that even Shireen Mazari has publically spoke on the matter, so it is not irrelevant for renowned female figureheads to be talking about this.
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
People are not offended by the fact that female students are prevented from the freedom to smoke. Rather, they’re offended because male students are allowed a certain activity that is equally harmful for them, but females have been stopped from the same. If smoking is harmful to the female counterpart of the institution, it is equally as harmful to the male students as well.
Imran Khan Not Wearing Shoes In Saudi Arabia Is Getting Extremely Mixed Reactions From Pakistanis
Zulfi Bukhari Chilling With Rihanna And Drake Will Make You Wonder, “Bhai, Kaisay?”