Pakistan To Withdraw Objection to Holi Celebrations at Universities

The Commission declared in a notice that students are not allowed to celebrate to uphold "sociocultural values."

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Salman Sufi, head of Pakistan Prime Ministers Strategic Reforms Unit, announced that Education Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain had asked Pakistan's Higher Education Commission (HEC) to withdraw a notification that banned Holi from being celebrated at a university.

Sufi took to his Twitter account to urge people to celebrate religious harmony.

Why Was The Holi Ban Initiated?

To preserve the Islamic character, which it claims was "eroding", the Pakistan government has outlawed the religious celebration of Holi and other Hindu holidays in all schools and colleges in the nation.

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

The Pakistan Higher Education Commission declared in a notice that students are not allowed to celebrate Holi to uphold "sociocultural values."

The purported video, titled "Biggest Holi celebration in Pakistan," featured hundreds of Quaid-i-Azam University students dancing and enjoying on the Holi festival at the campus lawn in Islamabad on 8 March.

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

What Did the Notification Say?

In its notification, the Commission said it was “sad” to witness incidents such as celebrating ‘Holi’, which show "a complete disconnect from the country's socio-cultural 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…the widely publicised event has caused concern and has disadvantageously affected the country's image," the Commission remarked.

The notification read that the Commission has the responsibility to improve the Islamic nation's higher education sector by incorporating the principles ingrained in Pakistan's culture, values, and traditions, ultimately preserving "the nation's ideology."

The statement further acknowledged the role of religious diversity in fostering an inclusive and tolerant society, but suggested it be done 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 notice read.

Upon his visit to India for the SCO Summit, Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto was questioned about the plight of minorities at home. The PPP leader had defended the rights of Hindus and Christians in Pakistan, and had brought up human rights concerns in India.

His assertion on the rights of minorities, however, is now refuted by the recent order banning Holi.