Pakistan bans Holi in universities to check ‘erosion of Islamic identity’.

‘Complete disconnect from our sociocultural values’: Islamic Pakistan bans Hindu Festival Holi in universities.

Hinduphobia: Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission has banned Holi celebrations in universities days after videos of students celebrating the festival of colours emerged. “Such activities portray a complete disconnect from the country’s socio-cultural values and are an erosion of the country’s Islamic identity,” its notice read. 

Ranjeet Rana | HENB | Karachi | June 20, 2023:: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has directed all the universities to keep a ‘distance’ from celebrating the Hindu festival of Holi on campuses.

n a letter dated June 20, addressed to all the higher education institutions, the HEC said: “The higher education institutions may prudently distance themselves from all such activities obviously incompatible with the country’s identity and societal values, while ensuring that they rigorously engage their students and faculty in academic pursuits, intellectual debates, and cognitive learning besides identifying, creating and fostering avenues for extra-curricular activities and rational discourse.”

It is pertinent to mention here that the students of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) celebrated Holi on June 13 at around 4 pm.

The festival was organized by the Mehran Students Council (MSC) while five other students councils, including Punjab Students Council, Pashtoon Students Council, Siraiki Students Council, Baloch Students Council, and Gilgit Student Council, participated in the festival that was organized by the parking area located between International Relations and Anthropology departments.

In the letter written by Dr Shaista Sohail, the executive director of the HEC, she said that: “Unfortunately, it is sad to witness activities that portray a complete disconnect from our sociocultural values and an erosion of the country’s Islamic identity. One such instance that has caused concern was the fervor exhibited in making the Hindu festival of Holi.”

“This widely reported/publicized event from the platform of a university has caused concern and has disadvantageously affected the country’s image,” the letter added.

The students told HENB representative in Karachi  that the organizers of the festival approached the QAU administration to get approval for the event but were denied over the issue of arranging a separate event for the female students.

“The event was organized after office hours,” said Bisharat Ali, the general secretary of MSC.

Not only QAU students, but students from different universities in Islamabad also participated, bringing the total number of participants to over 3,000.

“No one has objected to our event as yet,” Ali said. “It is not a new thing but we have been celebrating it for years to support our fellow Hindu students and friends,” he added.

Ali claims roughly 100 Hindu students from Sindh are enrolled in QAU.

It is pertinent to mention here that QAU was closed for about two and a half months after the clash between the two student councils.

“We wanted to unite all students and wanted everyone to forget bad memories. The colours of Holi help us to love everyone and hate only hatred,” Ali said.

Reaction on Pakistan social media

The HEC management is being criticized on social media for banning the Holi festival in universities. “What a shame. HEC must apologise,” twitted Zulfiqar Halepoto.

“May I demand the resignation of her [Dr Shaista] as her order is against the fundamental rights of citizens,” commented Ejaz Ali.

Many social media activists have demanded authorities take action against the management of the HEC and take back the orders of the commission.

Sindh journalist Veengas said that “Islamabad must understand that Holi/Diwali is part of the Sindhi culture —Islamabad neither accepts our Sindhi language nor does it honour the Hindu festivals.”

Condemning HEC’s decision to ban Holi, activist Ammar Ali Jan said that “HEC should be concerned about the dismal state of education in the country. Our universities are not even ranked in the top 1000.”

Reaction in India

Such a ban on Holi in the college and universities in Pakistan created a sharp reaction in India. Netizens criticized the fundamental views of Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission to run Islamic restrictions on the cultural freedom of the public preventing the student folk from their choice and expressions.

Taking his Twitter handle, Advocate Ashutosh Dubey of BJP wrote, “THIS IS HUGE: To protect the Islamic identity and reputation of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”

The minority Hindu people along with other minorities like Christians and Sikhs in Pakistan have been suffering high persecution and facing the threat of extinction. In that row, the ban on Holi in Pakistan has appeared as a new set of Islamic repression upon minorities, really unfortunate but not a new thing!

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__Inputs from The Express Trinbune.