Zardari greets diwali to Pakistanis, calls for interfaith harmony

Pakistan-India exchange sweets at the border.

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday greeted the Hindu and scheduled castes community in the country on the occasion of Diwali and called for strengthening interfaith harmony and protecting rights of minorities.

“I wish to extend on my behalf, on behalf of the Pakistan Peoples Party and on behalf of the people of Pakistan heartiest greetings to the Hindu and scheduled castes community on the occasion of Diwali,” the President said in a message.

Diwali is known as the festival of lights and is commemorated by members of some of the world’s oldest religions to celebrate the triumph of good over evil. “It is a time for celebration,” the President wrote, “but it is also a time for reflection. Let us rededicate ourselves to continually striving in the path of good and noble,” he said. Zardari also stressed for remembering the less fortunate amongst us.

The President  said “at a time when floods have ravaged the country particularly in Sindh, the Hindu community have decided to observe the festival with simplicity in view of Begum Nusrat Bhutto’s death, the celebrations should serve to remind that we need to help those in need of help.”

Zardari believed that Diwali was a prime moment to promote interfaith harmony among the religiously diverse society of Pakistan “We partake in Diwali celebrations also for promoting interfaith harmony as a means to fight religious apartheid and those who seek to impose their ideological agenda on the people,” the President said.

He reiterated that the Hindus and the Scheduled Castes, indeed all minorities, of Pakistan are equal citizens of the state and entitled to equal rights.

“I also wish to reiterate our commitment to respect and uphold the UN Resolution calling for interfaith harmony and the pledges made by the government and the party to safeguard the rights of all minorities in accordance with the teachings of the founder of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and the founder of the Party Zulfikar Ali Bhutto,” he said.

President Zardari said, “Let it be made clear yet again today that no one will be allowed to victimize and hound members of minority communities in the name of religion and faith,”

Pakistani and Indian forces exchange sweets at the border

Indian and Pakistani border guards exchanged sweets at the Attari- Wagah border post to mark the Hindu Diwali festival, IANS news service reported on Wednesday.

Indian Border Security Force BSF officials presented sweets to their counterparts , the Sutlej Rangers at the zero line of border post, about 30km from here. Pakistanis returned the favour, presenting their Indian counterparts with sweets as well. "We shared sweets with our Pakistani counterparts on the occasion of Diwali. They also greeted us," BSF Commandant Sushil Negi told reporters at border post.

The border post, the only official land route between India & Pakistan in Punjab sector, is otherwise popular for daily morning and evening flag hoisting and retreating ceremonies staged by BSF and Sutlej Rangers guards.