Karachi: The government of Punjab province in Pakistan has banned the use of mobile phones in educational institutions to check the rising incidents of students bunking classes and exchanging "vulgar" notes through the device.
The ban was enforced last week in all educational institutions, including colleges and universities, by the government and would remain in force until further orders, the principal of the APWA college for women in Lahore said.
"There were growing incidents of students bunking classes to have long chats on mobile phones and receiving and sending text messages during classes. Some students were also exchanging vulgar notes on their phones," she said.
According to the Pakistan Telecom Authority, the number of mobile phone users in Pakistan has crossed the 70 million mark in 2007 with one user per 120 inhabitants.
In particular, the students make up a large majority of the users and service providers are now providing cheaper rates and easier connections to them.
A Punjab Home department official said the ban on use of mobile phones extended to female and male students and even to the administrative staff of the institutions.
On the other hand, students have complained of being body-searched at the entrance of some colleges while some have also submitted that in case of emergencies, they cannot get help or call home without any phones.
But a senior education official said pay phones and landlines were available in all colleges and universities so this was not a major problem.
"Our aim is to stop students diverting their attention from studies to useless activities on their phones all the time," he added.
