Daily Times

LAHORE: Members of Hindu community marked Holi, the festival of spring and colours in the provincial capital on Sunday.

Main celebrations of the festival were held at Krishna Temple. Punjab Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Khalil Tahir Sindhu, MPA Shehzad Munshi and others participated in the celebrations where members of Hindu community splashed colours on one another, sang hymns and offered special prayers for the prosperity of Pakistan and its minorities.

Muslims, Christians and Sikhs from various walks of life also joined their Hindu brethren in the celebrations.

Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan Hindu Welfare Council Chairman Dr Manohar Chand said that the community was celebrating Holi as the festival of love and gaiety.

People from the minority communities along with Christians and Sikhs said that they were equally responsible for the nation’s progress and were cognisant of the pivotal role they had to play in this regard.

Hindus in Pakistan celebrate Holi festival every year that falls in the lunar month of Phalguna of the Hindu calendar.

Holi, which is a popular Hindu spring festival of colours, is observed in Pakistan at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month.

Top political leadership of Pakistan wished happy Holi to the Hindu community. Imran Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supremo took to Twitter to felicitate Hindus.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif also felicitated the community.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto also congratulated the community on the festival.

“Instead of bemoaning the darkness we should light a candle and instead of bemoaning hatred we should plant the seeds of love,” the former president said in his remarks.

Earlier on Saturday, Opposition Leader in National Assembly Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah felicitated the Hindu community of Pakistan on the eve of Holi. “May the celebrations today also usher in peace, prosperity and joy not only in the lives of Hindus but in the lives of all people,” he said in his message. The celebration of Holi is very ancient in its origin. By its very origin, Holi is celebrated as an ultimate triumph of the “good” over the “evil.” Many colours associated with Holi are said to be the face of celebrations.