Post-backlash, HEC backpedals on Holi ban

Notification against organising Holi celebrations has been withdrawn, NA told

ISLAMABAD:

Just a day after the Higher Education Commission (HEC) banned the Holi celebrations [a popular and significant Hindu festival celebrated as the Festival of Colours, Love and Spring] in all the universities across the country, the parliament was informed that the notification regarding the ban was withdrawn.

Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain Thursday informed the National Assembly that “the HEC’s notification against organising Holi celebrations has been withdrawn.”

Responding to the points raised by Ramesh Lal and Kesoo Mal Kheeal Das, the minister said that he took serious notice of the notification and it had been withdrawn early in the morning.

“The HEC should not write such letter, as per Quaid-e-Azam’s saying and the constitution and the followers of every religion are free in Pakistan and they can perform their religious rituals as per their religion,” he said. The minister added that in India, Muslims were not allowed to offer Eid prayers but non-Muslims in Pakistan enjoyed complete freedom.

The HEC’s notification, issued with the signatures of Executive Director Dr Shaista Sohail, received a huge backlash on social media where users flayed the move for being divisive.

While withdrawing the notification, the HEC said it had the utmost respect for all religions, faiths and festivals and events celebrated in the country.

Thursday’s letter sent to the vice-chancellors and rectors made it clear that the message was not intended to hurt the sentiments of any individual or group.

“The portrayed impression and disseminated connotation that HEC has ‘banned’ celebration of any festivities are out of context to the spirit of the communication made, as HEC has emphasised upon the Higher Education Institutions in the country to focus upon the core reason of their existence i.e., academic excellence, research quality and harnessing the talent of the youth towards a structured, disciplined, and responsible citizen as per the nation’s ideology,” the letter read.

“Considering that the message inferred from the communication has regrettably led to misinterpretations, HEC is pleased to withdraw the same,” it added.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Quaid-i-Azam University students celebrated Holi on June 13 at around 4pm. The event, touted as the "biggest Holi celebration in Pakistan," had drawn both praise and criticism from various quarters.

The festival was organised 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 organised by the parking area located between International Relations and Anthropology departments.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2023.