PESHAWAR: A private university here has come under fire on social media for allowing performance of a foreign singer at an event on its premises.

The singing performance, which caused widespread outrage on social media, took place at the end of a three-day Hunar Mela arranged by the Thirteen Event Planners on the premises of private NCS University in the provincial capital.

Following the outrage, the Khyber Medical University (KMU) issued a show-cause notice to the private varsity, asking it to explain its position within three days regarding holding of “unethical and immoral activities on its premises”.

Videos widely shared on social media showed a singer clad in tight fitting dress singing on the campus. Social media users castigated the varsity for allowing this spectacle on its premises.

Later, the institute’s director, Dr Shaukat Ali, in a message posted to the university’s Facebook page apologised for the faux pas and blamed the event planner for causing the issue.

He said following the three-day Hunar Mela, which celebrated Pakistani artisanship, a foreign singer performance took place, which was in violation of Pakistani values and culture. He said the event organiser had not informed them about the singer’s performance.

Meanwhile, KMU, with which the NCS is affiliated, in a letter asked the university to explain its position within three days, otherwise, it would be de-affiliated.

KMC said it had taken serious notice of an “unethical and immoral activity” in the campus, wherein a young girl could be seen dancing during a college function in a viral social media video.

“Conducting such activities with the logo and the name of KMU on the stage is quite objectionable. All educational institutes are bound to maintain ethical and moral standards and sanctity of institutes during the curricular and co-curricular activities,” it said.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2022