Pakistan bans Holi celebrations in universities terming it ‘incompatible’ with nation’s Islamic identification, says ‘variety’ gone ‘overboard’: All it is advisable to know

Pakistan, the self-declared ‘Riyasat-e-Medina’ has a historical past of crushing its spiritual minorities, significantly the Hindus. On June 12, a number of Pakistani Hindu college students celebrated Holi on the Quad-i-Azam University campus in Islamabad. However, not a single second of pleasure for the Hindus is tolerable to the Islamist Pakistani majority as many have been outraged over the viral movies of the celebration of a Hindu pageant with such fervour. Consequently, on Tuesday, June 20, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan issued a discover banning the celebration of Holi within the universities there. 

Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission bans Holi celebrations throughout all academic institutes saying that such actions painting a whole disconnect from the nation’s sociocultural values and are an erosion of the nation’s Islamic identification, reviews Aaj News.

— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2023

In a discover issued by the HEC Executive Director Shaista Sohail, it’s said that actions such because the celebration of Holi painting a whole disconnect from Pakistan’s sociocultural values. It is additional claimed that the “fervour” displayed within the Holi celebrations at a college (in an obvious reference to the Holi celebrations at Quad-i-Azam University) has ‘affected’ the picture of Pakistan.

“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 fervour exhibited in marking 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 discover said.

The fee additional pressured that ethnic, cultural and non secular variety does result in an inclusive society, nevertheless, the manifestations of the identical shouldn’t go ‘overboard’. It additional instructed the scholars watch out for the so-called ‘self-serving vested interests’ utilizing them for their very own ends. The fee, nevertheless, didn’t elaborate on who these ‘self-serving vested interests’ are.

“While there is no denying the fact that cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity leads towards an inclusive and tolerant society, that profoundly respects all faiths and creeds; albeit it needs to be done so in a measured manner without going overboard. The students need to be apprised to be aware of the self-serving vested interests who use them for their own ends far from the altruistic critical thinking paradigm,” the discover reads.

Displaying its blatant disregard for the Hindu pageant, the fee termed the Holi celebrations as ‘incompatible’ with Pakistan’s so-called societal values and identification. 

“Foregoing in view, it is advised that the HEIs 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,” the HEC said.

This comes after movies of Holi celebrations at Islamabad’s Quaid-i-Azam University went viral earlier this month. Students are seen within the movies enjoying Holi with colors and rejoicing on the college campus.

Happy Holi 🖤 🥀
Biggest Holi celebrations at Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad Pakistan 🌹 pic.twitter.com/ZciVSyctuI

— QAU News (@NewsQau) June 13, 2023

Ashok Swain, a identified Hinduphobe, was fast to attract parallels between India and Pakistan whereas reacting to the viral video of the stated Holi celebrations. “Pakistani students celebrate Holi at Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad; when Indian students celebrate Eid in Modi’s New India, they become anti-Hindu and anti-National,” Swain tweeted on June 14 in a determined bid to challenge that Pakistan is in some way higher than India when it comes to spiritual freedom and tolerance. However, such individuals flip mute when the Pakistani authorities exhibit their true nature.

Pakistani college students have fun Holi at Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad; when Indian college students have fun Eid in Modi’s New India, they grow to be anti-Hindu and anti-National. https://t.co/3pBoEIw98u

— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) June 14, 2023

Ironically, the HEC director talks about making certain that the scholars interact in mental debates and rational discourse. What rational discourse would prevail in a rustic trapped within the clutches of the Hindu-hating Islamists. What socio-cultural inclusivity Pakistan would obtain when it phrases the celebrations of the pageant of its spiritual minority as ‘incompatible’ with the nation’s values. What form of inclusiveness would there be in a rustic whose picture is ‘affected’ by the celebration of a pageant.

Notably, the Holi celebrations on the Quad-i-Azam University got here months after the unique date. In On March 6 this yr, exhibiting their hatred for Hindus, the Islamists of Islami Jamiat Tulba (IJT) attacked Hindu college students celebrating Holi inside Punjab University in Lahore. The assault left 15 Hindu college students injured. 

The ban on Holi celebrations in Pakistani universities is no surprise in any respect because the Pakistani authorities and even the judiciary have displayed deliberate incompetence in defending the rights and dignity of non secular minorities in Pakistan. OpIndia has documented numerous instances whereby Hindu ladies have been kidnapped and forcibly transformed to Islam with the Pakistani courts handing over the victims to their abductors.