Pakistan bans Holi at universities to “preserve Islamic identity”

To preserve the Islamic character, which he claims was “eroding”, the Pakistan The government has prohibited the religious celebration of Hello and other Hindu festivals in all schools and universities in the nation.

An alleged video of students celebrating the event at an Islamabad university surfaced on social media, prompting the government order banning the celebration of Holi and other Hindu holidays.

The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan stated in a notice that students are not allowed to celebrate Holi to uphold “socio-cultural values”.

The letter from the Executive Director of the Commission, Shaista Sohail, to the heads of educational institutions does not name any specific university.

In its notification, the Commission said it was “sad” to witness incidents such as the celebration of ‘Holi’, which show “a total disconnection from the country’s socio-cultural values ​​and an erosion of the country’s Islamic identity.”

“One such case that has caused concern was the fervor exhibited in the commemoration of the Hindu festival of Holi…the widely publicized event has caused concern and negatively affected the image of the country,” the Commission commented.

The statement further acknowledged the role of religious diversity in fostering an inclusive and tolerant society, but suggested that it be done without “overdoing it.”

“Students need to be informed to be aware of vested interests using them for their own purposes, away from the altruistic paradigm of critical thinking,” the notice said.

While visiting India for the SCO Summit, Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto was questioned about the plight of minorities in the country. The PPP leader had championed the rights of Hindus and Christians in Pakistan and had raised human rights issues in India.

His claim about minority rights, however, is now refuted by the recent order banning Holi.