Daily Times

The management of International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) on Monday stopped the media from covering a seminar held on women empowerment, raising many doubts.

According to the details, the IIUI management organized an event on women empowerment in connection with international women day. A message circulated among press reads that “it is requested for coverage of an event on March 10, 2021 at 11 am in Islamabad with details as Dukhtaran-e-Pakistan seminar on social economic development of Pakistani women at IIUI female Campus.”

When some sections of press including electronic and print media reached University as per given schedule they were stopped by security staff of the varsity from covering the important event. Adil Hussain, a senior Reporter with a private TV channel, told Daily Times that it is a highly non-professional behaviour that the management barred the media from covering the event even after sending out the invitations, requesting to cover the event. “I am wondering if it was some confidential event, then why University sent us an invite for coverage,” he asked.

He said “It’s obvious that the media was invited, since it was impossible for us to know about the seminar without an initiation.” Another reporter on the occasion was also annoyed due to such delinquency on the part of varsity. He said It’s a surprising behaviour of the part of the varsity administration, moreover it creates some serious doubts speculating “some dubious things that were against the societal norms or state policy were intended to be discussed due to which they deemed it better to refrain media from event coverage”. A spokesperson at the varsity confirmed about the event. He, however, claimed that no coverage invite was released from the part of university public relations wing. “May be female campus management sent a message to someone as per their own, it has nothing to do with us,” he clarified. When Vice President female campus Dr Farkhanda Zia was contacted for her version over the issue, she didn’t respond.

But, a senior official of the varsity on the conditions of anonymity said that if some women speak on such events their views should be highlighted in the media instead of limiting them to campus. He said “This would boost their morale in such sanitation,” and added there was no binding from the religion as well in this regard.