National University of Sciences and Technology, more commonly referred to as NUST, is one of the finest institutions of Pakistan, holding a ranking among the top 500 universities of the World. So, when you think of a university such as NUST, your mind paints a very liberal picture. Well, that’s what I had in mind when I came here. The first thing about NUST that caught my attention was the beauty of the campus. The campus is built on an entire sector, H-12, of Islamabad. In the winters, the campus has a breathtaking view- the shining Sun gazes won the landscape. In autumn, I’ve seen beautiful trees, having orange leaves, giving a whole different look to the area.

When I first came here, I was lost in the beauty and serenity of the campus. As I got to learn more about the place, I came across some questionable rules. The first thing that I noticed here was the difference in curfew timings, and the enforcement thereof. Girls have to be back in their dormitories by 09:30 P.M., which was later extended to 10:00 P.M.; curfew timings for boys is set at 11:00 P.M., and isn’t enforced nearly as strictly- if a girl has to stay out past curfew, she has to get an out-pass, and her parents need to be informed. Although the rules are the same for boys, they are observed in a rather flexible fashion. This reflects the double standards in our society for both men and women. Men can stay out as late as they want to, and this is justified by saying “boys will be boys”, however, if, God-forbid, a girl does the same, her character is questioned. These double standards and biasness compel us to question the patriarchs in our society. Why are the rules only observed and followed by women, whereas there is a very tangible flexibility of rules for men? I firmly believe that rules are extremely important for maintaining discipline in an institute, and I do not mean to imply that there shouldn’t be any rules, but if there are rules in an institute, why are those applicable only on a single gender?
Another controversial topic these days is the formation of designated smoking areas inside the campus. NUST has established smoking areas in the university, mostly outside departments and hostels, as well as the two main cafeterias. Students are only permitted to smoke in these designated areas and nowhere else. Surprisingly, girls are not allowed to step foot in those areas or they’ll be charged a fine, and their parents will be informed too. The administration issued a circular to educate the students about the said smoking areas. This circular, however, makes an objectionable point. First of all, allowing smoking in an educational institute should not be acceptable. The administration’s explanation for justifying the establishment of smoking corners is that this will prevent students from smoking in bathrooms, hostels, and other hidden spots. This is an extremely illogical excuse; more disappointing is the fact that the administration has only allowed boys to smoke openly. If you’re allowing people to smoke, you should allow all genders to do so, why is there such blatant discrimination? An infamous ‘saying’ is trending on social media these days, in the patriarchal mindset of our society, “smoking is injurious to health and a woman’s character”; I firmly believe that smoking is an unethical habit/disease. Smokers not only harm their own health, but the health of other people, as well as the environment; if someone isn’t able to control the urge to smoke, that person needs professional help.

Why is it that only a girl’s parents need to be informed if she’s found smoking? I’m sure most parents wouldn’t want their son to smoke. Now, if the administration is informing the parents of female students, why not inform the parents of male students as well. This shows that there are different standards of morality for both genders in our society.
It’s disappointing that even in the 21st century, the patriarchal mindset prevails in our society. A woman is questioned and her morality is questioned, if she does not conform to the misogynist societal standards. These standards simply show the lack of acceptance for women in our society. We only see a woman in her role as a mother, daughter and a wife, but we fail to realize her role as a human being.