Misogyny and incompetence

Tens of thousands will have seen the now-viral video clip in which Pakistan Awami Tehreek Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur is seen abusing female students at Minhaj University.
In brief, the back story is that the students wanted to attend an Iftar party outside the hostel, but the timing for this was outside the prescribed limits when the students could be outside without a woman to accompany them. Gandapur is seen shouting at and abusing the students who were protesting the decision not to allow them to attend the Iftar party. Any attempt that was made to discuss the matter was met by more abuse from Gandapur. The upshot was that the clip was posted to social media where it went viral to the considerable irritation of the university management. The management have now expelled 320 female students and told them to vacate the university.

Parents of the young women who have paid fees in full, in advance, are understandably angry particularly at the collective punishment of the entire female student cohort, not all of whom were involved in the ‘Iftar’ incident. Parents are saying that there should have been an investigation, and that if there were students guilty of anything then they should have been disciplined rather than the scorched-earth response that the university administration made.

Both sides have a case to make, the students in that they have the right to protest what they see as an unreasonable regulation, the university that it has a duty of care and has to protect young women who are resident. Both arguments have merits and demerits and we are not going to adjudicate. What is questionable and/or unacceptable to many is Gandapur’s behaviour. The Punjab Higher Education Commission says that the students had a right to protest and Gandapur was out of order. He was, and a lesson in manners, male manners, is entirely justified. Consider yourself scolded, Gandapur. Now go and stand on the naughty step.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29^th, 2018.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.