Two universities  in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan - the northwestern province bordering Afghanistan that is ruled by Prime Minister Imran Khan's PTI  party -   have issued strict dress code policies by banning tight-fitted jeans, tee-shirts, and makeup among other things for its students, faculty as well as for its other staff members.

The move was taken following instructions from Governor Shah Farman, according to The Express Tribune.

The first to comply with the new dress code was Hazara University in Mansehra. The university issued a notification on January 6.

According to the new policy, which was termed ‘illiberal and austere’ by many students, who protested against the move, girls were barred from wearing tee-shirts, fitted jeans, heavy makeup, and jewelry on campus. Also, they were asked not to carry fancy bags or purses. Boys were also banned from sporting tight jeans, wrist chains, long hair, pony-tails, and fashionable beard cuts on university grounds.

Bacha Khan University in Charsadda was the second university that issued notification in this regard.

Dr Khadim Hussain, an educationist, said the policies were reminiscent of the dark ages.

“It’s like we are going back to the days of radicalization and extremism; where mature university students are being put in abayas against their own will. Education is already inaccessible to great many of the province’s youth ..,” he was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune.

“..On one side, our society is already struggling with destigmatising girls’ education, on the other we keep mulling such regressive policies. None of this is helping the case for women’s education, but only planting more negativity in the minds of parents, which may result in women losing what little access they have to education here,” he added.

Former Peshawar University professor, Dr. Ijaz Khan, who has over 30 years of teaching experience, said he has never heard of a similar policy in any of the developed country.

Chief Minister’s Advisor on Higher Education Kamran Bangash supported the new dress code.

“Universities have the right to impose such practices to eliminate differences between rich and poor. Following the implementation of the dress code policy, students will now focus on their education (as opposed to fashion), while it will also reduce the financial burden on their parents. Students and faculty both will be required to adhere to the dress code, which will foster a healthy environment, conducive to learning,” he added.