K-P bans male presence, media coverage of girls sporting events

Decision comes after photos of female students were shared on social media

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's (K-P) department of elementary and secondary education on Sunday banned male chief guests as well as media coverage at all events participated by girls in the province.

According to the new directives, no coverage including print, electronic or social media will be allowed at such events.

Besides banning the coverage on social and mainstream media, the government also imposed a ban on male chief guests at functions being held at female educational institute and only females will be invited to attend the events as chief guests in the future.



The ban was placed on functions including sports competitions, where according to the education ministry, no male will attend the events and only female members of the parliament, local government representatives or female officers will be able to do so.

“At every girls event, there will only be female parliamentarians or the female officers who will be called as chief guests,” K-P Education Minister Ziaullah Bangash told media persons, adding that "male entry into female education institutes has also been banned."

Bangash said that different events organised at educational institutions for girls were being shared on social media.



Officials privy to the development stated that different female were being uploaded to social media adding that some pictures, were later reported after having been uploaded without consent of the concerned individuals.

“This happened recently when some photos were shared on social media without the consent of those having been photographed,” a senior government official.

The official added that the issue was reported on local level but was later brought into the notice of concerned officials who might have pursued the ministry to impose the ban.

“We have ordered all the elementary and secondary schools, district education officers and other relevant officers to impose the ban after we received complaints from parents,” the minister said in a video statement shared with the media.

He stated that inviting males at these events was against the norms and culture of the province.