The attendance took a nosedive at most universities and women educational institutions of the city, owing to a ban on celebrating Valentine’s Day inside the campus. The students were also seen criticising the administrations for barring them from the celebrations. On the other hand IJT and Shab-e-Milli celebrated Youm-e-Haya and distributed relevant pamphlets among the citizens for opposing Valentine’s Day. City institutions faced short attendances as most students preferred to stay outside the campus as administration had banned the entry of those students who were wearing red.
Valentine’s Day is earmarked as the day of love around the globe every year and is becoming increasing popular in the city especially among the students, who celebrate the event in their own unique style.
Accordingly, a rush of the students was also observed at flower shops, with balloon purchasing also on a palpable high. It is important to mention here that administration at city institutions since last few days had been campaigning against this day specially the students of a religious organisation that had their female contingent delivering lectures against Valentine’s Day by terming it a day of devil, in several institutes. A group of this organisation also displayed posters at a campus, as they believed protecting the female students from unethical activities was needed for their safety. However, most female students were found outside the campus celebrating the day with vigour and festivity. They wore red and pink dresses and gave flowers and chocolates to their friends. Parks were also crammed with couples, who were seen rejoicing and celebrating their love.
Saman, a student of University of Education (UOE), said that perception of administration of institutions apropos Valentine’s Day was narrow-minded, since most of the female students celebrated this day merely by sharing flowers and chocolates with their female friends. She said that the girls were wise and could distinguish between right and wrong.
Noreen, another student of Punjab University, said that female students were genuinely frustrated due to the inexplicable behaviour of the administration, which slams uncalled-for restrictions on the students every single year. She said that the administration did not stop various student unions from campaigning against the day, whose actions were a leaf out of talibanisation according to Noreen. She said that those that were stopping them from celebrating Valentine’s Day were themselves involved in criminal activities; especially since they tortured innocent students. She asked if when IJT activists, who politicised matters in the name of Islam, manhandled their teachers and brutally tortured students, they considered their actions in synchrony with Islamic teachings. She added that the female students found these pseudo Islamists more menacing than ordinary gangsters.
Youm-e-Haya: IJT chose to celebrate February 14 as Haya day and accordingly distributed pamphlets among the citizens and requested them to oppose Valentine’s Day. IJT activists at Civil Lines College Lahore, Science College Wahdat Road and at Punjab University were celebrating Haya Day by forbidding couples from sitting together.
According to Lahore IJT Nazim Pakistan was an Islamic state where NGO’s were trying to forestall unethical activities and that IJT proved that there was no room for Valentine’s Day in our culture. He said that Western countries were doing their best to misguide our youth and in such circumstances they should follow Islamic traditions. He said that ‘Youm-e-haya’ is a slap on the face of the West and added that our survival is in Islamic revolution.
Traffic Jam: Meanwhile traffic jam was also observed in front of educational institutions due to the rush of students and citizens at the shops thanks to Valentine’s Day shopping.
