The University of Peshawar was closed on Valentine’s Day on Monday so that Pashto singer Gul Panra could record songs for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) on the varsity’s campus, the administration has revealed.
Previously, the university had circulated a notice announcing the school’s closure on Valentine’s Day in lieu of closing on Kashmir Day on February 5th. Only the university’s top management knew the school would be closed so that Gul Panra could record on an empty campus.
When the school closed on both days, many students thought nothing of the extra holiday. Other universities across the country had asked students to wear modest dress on Valentine’s Day, leading some students to believe the university was trying to prevent immoral celebrations.
However, on Valentine’s Day, Gul Pana was busy recording songs across the campus for the PSL’s final match. One professor told the News, “Dances and loud music kept the university alive all day.”
The Peshawar University Teachers Association (PUTA) condemned the university’s closure and cancelled classes. However, spokesperson for the university Numan Khan said that the administration had taken advantage of the empty campus to also film a short promotional video for the school. He further said that the closure had nothing to do with the PSL, which he said filmed on the campus on Sunday and Monday, but instead was intended to give an extra break to professors and university staff.
