Islamabad: In 2017 the Islamabad High Court banned Valentine’s Day celebrations in public places and government offices in the country. Last year the court went further and imposed a ban on airing content promoting Valentine’s Day celebrations on electronic and print media.
The vice-chancellor of the University of Agriculture in Faisalabad has reportedly issued a diktat that the university will observe “Sister’s Day” on the 14th of February instead of Valentine’s Day to promote cultural values and protect Islamic traditions among young people.
University of Agriculture in Faisalabad wants to rebrand Valentine’s Day as ‘Sister’s Day’. There has been protests and recent upheaval regarding the matter as see4n in the photograph here:
To encourage students to celebrate Valentine’s Day as Sister’s Day, the university has also decided to distribute scarves, shawls, and gowns among female students February 14.
“In our culture, women are more empowered and have earned their due respect as sisters, mothers, daughters and wives. We were forgetting our culture even as western culture has taken root in our society. The nations, which forgot their cultural values were obliterated from the map of the world. The preservation of culture is essential to maintain our identity and dignity in the world”, Zafar Iqbal Randhawa has been quoted as saying by the media.
“The youth must devote their energies towards their education, knowledge and towards skill building”, the vice-chancellor of the university added.
The university’s announcement has created a debate among the Pakistani populace especially young people and many of them are expressing their views on social media.
“If Faisalabad University wanted a Sisters Day, they had 364 other days to choose from”, a Pakistani youth tweeted.
If Faisalabad Uni wanted a #SistersDay, they had 364 other days to choose from. To pick 14th Feb, the one day dedicated to non-platonic love shows a desperation and cultural paranoia more than any genuine regard for their sisters. 1/2
— Usama Sarfraz (@UsamaSarfraz19) January 14, 2019
https://twitter.com/mukarma/status/1084798918439944192
Pakistani Senator Sherry Rehman lashed out at the diktat of the university.
“To the sisters of Faisalabad, may your virtue be best preserved by the gift of restraint that all civilisations and religions insist upon for men, especially Islam. Women are not objects to be policed by university administrations. Vice in the mind of beholder”, Rehman tweeted.
To the sisters of Faisalabad: May your virtue be best preserved by the gift of restraint that all civilisations and religions insist upon for men,especially Islam. Women are not objects to be policed by university administrations.Vice is in the mind of the beholder. Or principle
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) January 14, 2019
PNN/Agencies
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