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Valentine's Day: to be or not to be
Students in a fix about celebrating Valentine's Day
Lahore, Feb 13, 2008: Students are feeling to be in a fix as to how to celebrate the St
Valentine's Day on February 14 for its not a day off from the educational
institutions and use of mobile phones is banned there.
Required to attend
classes at the educational institution on February 14, many students have
planned to circumvent the ban.
They said the
situation has compelled a large number of students to either take the day off
from the schools or not to attend classes to be able celebrate the
day.
Majority of students were also planning to celebrate the event in
their institutions by holding small discussions in between different classes and
passing time in canteens with friends.
Asif Khan, a student at Lahore
University of Management Sciences (LUMS) said that most of his friends were
planning to wear red on the Valentine's Day but he has decided to wear yellow
instead because it was the colour for those who seek friendship.
He said
he is unable to give sound to his feeling and that is why he is making use of
the language of colours.
Moneeza Ahmad, a Kinnaird College student said
that ban on cell phones in the educational institutions has made life hell for
students.
People who wanted to enjoy the Valentine's Day by keeping in
touch with near and dear ones through phones would be left without any way of
connection in this scenario if the they attended schools.
"No one wants
to miss classes from the school but if it is for one day and for a special
reason then it won't be a big deal," she explained.
She suggested that
the government should declare February 14 a holiday. A Hailley College student
named Murtaza Naqvi stated that he has decided to get away from the college
during the Valentine's Day, as he would not be able to use a mobile phone for
talking during spare time between different classes.
He also mentioned
that some of his friends have even decided to secretly take off from the
school.
A student at National College of Arts named Maria said that
Valentine's Day was a day of love and happiness and it provided youths an
opportunity to share their experience. She said that art polished the aesthetic
sense of people and students in NCA were one-step ahead in celebrating the event
of love and colours by painting or making unique artefacts to wish happy
Valentine's Day to their loved ones.
Another NCA student named Moeen
criticised the government's policy to ban mobile phones in educational
institutions as the ban was generally hindering the students to keep in touch
with the outer world. "Every one already keeps their cell phones on silent mode
during their classes and banning them permanently was something like depriving
the students of a basic facility of communicating with their loved ones in the
name of so-called discipline," Moeen maintained. The News
LCWU bars students from celebrating Valentine's Day
Lahore: The Lahore College for Women
University (LCWU) administration on Tuesday issued a notification, asking
students to strictly follow what it called a "dress code" on February 13 (today)
and February 14.
It may be mentioned that February 14 is Valentine's Day.
According to the code, students dressed in orange, black or red would
not be allowed on campus. The notice also barred students from bringing gifts
with them.
LCWU Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Dr Bushra Mateen said, "I know
nothing about the notice issued by the administration. I cannot stop students if
they want to celebrate Valentine's Day. Classes will be held on schedule."
LCWU Registrar Shaista Wyne said some LCWU council members had told her
that they wanted to stop students from organising various parties on campus. She
said, "It is possible that the council members might have issued the
notification, but I did not sign the notice."
An LCWU official said the
administration had issued the notice. She said teachers had also told students
not to come to school dressed in black, orange or red.
Aimen, an LCWU
student, said, "It seems that the administration wants to turn the LCWU into a
prison. We celebrate Father's Day, Kashmir Day, Literacy Day and Freedom Day.
Why can't we celebrate Valentine's Day?"
LCWU student Komal said,
"Valentine's Day tells us to share happiness and love with others. It is not
necessary to share love only with boyfriends. We can share it with our friends
and family."
Sana, a student, said, "Valentine's Day is not an Islamic
event and I hail the ban."
An LCWU official said the administration had
ordered security officials to keep an eye on students' activities. Daily Times
Overcharging ahead of Valentine's Day
Lahore: Like elsewhere in the world, youths of the provincial capital are
set to celebrate Valentine's Day on February 14.
The sale of cards,
clothes, heart-shaped gifts, souvenirs, paintings, pots with messages of love,
decoration pieces, jewellery, friendship bands, necklaces and earrings increased
at the city markets. Flowers were also in great demand.
A rush of buyers
was seen at different markets, especially in posh areas, including Liberty
Market, Fortress, Defence, Model Town, Garden Town and Link Road. A majority of
the visitors were youths who were mostly buying gifts and clothes.
A
visitor to the Liberty Market, Ahsan Shahid, complained of high
prices. He said shopkeepers were exploiting the situation by increasing the
prices of gifts related to the event, but there was no authority to check them.
He said though the day was usually observed by people in love and not by married
or engaged people, but in reality, it was for all those who loved each other.
Maryam Haneef, a student of the Punjab University, said she was visiting
the Anarkali Bazaar to purchase a gift for her friend. She said shopkeepers were
demanding high rates for the products which were quite cheap on a normal day but
people were forced to purchase them. She said an ordinary greeting card was
available at Rs 20 to 30 on normal days but valentines were selling at Rs 50 or
more. Meanwhile, people also flocked to flower shops.
They were
purchasing red roses, the universal symbol of love, for their loved ones at high
prices. Nazia, a visitor to a flower shop at the Liberty Market, said she worked
in a private firm and was purchasing flowers for her fiancÈ who would be in
Islamabad on February 14. She said she had purchased a bouquet of red roses for
Rs 1000, which was normally selling at Rs 600. She said a red rose was selling
at Rs 50 ahead of Valentine's Day. The News
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