Karachi:Summer break is over, and additions to the Karachi University campus have been made. This involves a brand new building by the Administration Block, completion of the Business Administration Department and “un-greasing” of the raised platform that connects the Sociology Department to the Arts Lobby.
People who visit the campus regularly narrate that a certain right-wing student group regularly applies gracious amounts of grease to this particular shady spot, which attracts lots of students; boys, girls and couples to seek refuge from the scorching summers. The idea behind the activity is to prevent people from sitting there, thus preventing free mingling of both sexes.
The phenomenon called “moral policing” is common on the campus and students can narrate often funny and sometimes horrific and violent scenes that they have witnessed in their university lives.
Fatima Ali, a second year student at the university, recalls a time when one of her male friends came to visit her at the Department of Mass Communication. They were sitting on one of the leather couches at the department, when a worker from a right-wing student group came and asked him to stand up. Without further questions he began slapping him on the face. People present at the spot say that he got slapped seven times in a single minute.
The pretext the right-winger gave for his physical roughing up was the fact that Fatima Ali’s friend was not sitting “in the right position”. She shares that she remained distressed, scared and depressed for the next couple of days. “I try to stay away from these political parties now.”
However, despite such strict measures taken by right-wing student groups against the free mingling of sexes there exists a place called “Prem Gali” (love lane) on the campus. The name caught on over the years by the number of dates which sat under the stone-arched lane covered by trees and green vines. However, over the years places for couples seeking a quiet moment or two have spread out on the campus, and a favourite spot is the spacious Valika cricket stadium, which remains empty most of the year round.
Zeeshan Ahmed, another student at the university, speaks about an incident when a boy from his class got beaten up for holding hands with his girlfriend at the Prem Gali. He thinks it is unfair. “They act like they are the guardians of our moral code; if it is anyone who is responsible for us it is our parents,” he protests.
There are students who believe that the right-wing group workers use such opportunities to settle scores of the past. A common incident which happens is when a girl a student group activist likes dates another guy. “In such cases the poor guy who gets the girl is beaten up,” smirks a student, choosing not to be named.
Mariam Naeem, an Economics student at the university, feels strongly against the practice. “It is none of their business to poke nose in other people’s business.”
However, a senior worker at one such right-wing group claims that they had been doing the “campus service” by monitoring moral conduct. “The Rangers and neutral students appreciate our efforts. Many a time we pull out a couple from the Valika ground stairs. If we don’t, God knows where matters will reach,” he says.
He adds that while only parliament can do anything about co-education at Karachi University, they can only help matters by controlling free mingling.
“It is a modern world. Islam is a liberal religion, but we cannot be too liberal,” he exclaims.
“Democracy provides personal freedom to everyone, but that personal freedom should not disturb any other person. A student who is not studying and engaging in immoral activities distresses people in the surroundings, and thus needs to be disciplined,” he says.
He believes that beating up students who do not heed initial warnings is though a drastic measure, it serves the greater cause of protecting society and its moral code.
Names have been changed to protect privacy.The news.
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