Holi banned in Pakistan universities to ‘preserve Islamic identity’: Report

Pakistan on Tuesday banned the celebration of Hindu festival of ‘Holi’ to check 'erosion of Islamic identity'. The decision came after a video showing students at an Islamabad university celebrating the festival went viral.

Pakistan on Tuesday banned the celebration of Hindu festival of ‘Holi’ to check 'erosion of Islamic identity'. The decision came after a video showing students at an Islamabad university celebrating the festival went viral.

In response, the country’s Higher Education Commission issued a notification emphasising the ‘role’ of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in transforming youth, who “uphold the cultural and moral values of Islam”.

The commission, in its notification, 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 Hindu festival of Holi…the widely publicised event has caused concern and has disadvantageously affected the country's image.” the commission remarked.