A university in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, on Monday cried out on social media for banning female students from wearing lipstick on campus.
The University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s administration declined to comment on the decision, while rights activists, civil society groups and social media users referred to the move as oppressive.
Rights activist Farzana Bari said that the decision reflected that conservatism and radicalization was on the rise in the society, adding that Pakistani women were pushing against all odds.
She said there had been decisions in the past such as the segregation of female students and the imposition of a dress code for women.
In September, authorities in North-Western Pakistan withdrew an order stipulating that school girls must wear hijab after opposition from civil society groups and an outcry on social media.
However, the government in the conservative province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa near the border of Afghanistan, a former Taliban stronghold, said the decision was taken to safeguard girls against sexual harassment.(dpa/NAN)
