We can do it: Girls barge into Khanpur college in protest

Principal informs K-P colleges director about their demands

HARIPUR: Dozens of female students of Government Degree College Khanpur forcibly entered the college building on Tuesday in a bid to pressurise the administration to reconsider its decision to cancel their admission.

A day earlier, the administration has pressed over 40 female students to drop out and look for other opportunities. A majority of these students were advised to go to other higher secondary schools or colleges as the institute was only admitting male students.

This sparked a protest outside the college which was attended by students and their parents. The demonstration was led by Nusrat Bibi, a local activist. Protesters held banners and placards and urged the provincial government to resolve this crisis at the earliest. They also shouted slogans against the principal and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Colleges Director Noorullah.

Security officials tried to prevent protesters from entering the college premises. However, the demonstrators managed to put up a fight and arrived at the principal’s office to inform him of their grievances. The principal, Professor Azad Khattak, has informed the colleges director about their demands.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, the principal said Noorullah had verbally directed the administration to allow the girls to attend their classes as per usual.

“I am not opposed to the idea of allowing girls to get an education,” he said. “I just want Noorullah to send an official letter to BISE Abbottabad so that girls are able to attend classes at the college. I have also written to him in this regard.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th,  2015.