PESHAWAR, Feb 17: Civil society organizations are concerned over a government move to force first year students of the Khyber Medical College to shift to the college's girls campus in the Hayatabad township.

A number of local NGOs warned in a press statement that the decision could back fire as most of the girl students would leave the college. It said the province, already lacking women doctors, would suffer a loss in terms of healthcare facilities.

Its implication, it said, would encourage the trend of segregation of women from men in other fields as well creating serious impediments for women's participation in mainstream activities and significantly reduce the already limited space available for them in the province.

It expressed its reservation to what it called the government's discriminatory policies forcing female students to shift to some spurious campus that does not meet the desired needs for medical college.

The government, it said, was in pursuit of policies totally in conflict with the international human rights laws and the fundamental rights enjoyed by the people under the Constitution of the country.

The statement said the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government would do well to establish a fully fledged women medical college in the province and allow the female students to seek admission there according to their own will. It alleged that the government's step was aimed at advancement of its own political agenda.

The JAC-NWFP has decided to communicate their concern to the president, provincial governor and chief justice of the Peshawar High Court for immediate action against the discriminatory move.

The JAC-NWFP will also organize a public dialogue and invited people, including representatives of the MMA, female students and their parents and other relevant civil society groups to build a consensus on the issue.