KARACHI – Sindh is observing a public holiday to celebrate Holi on Thursday (today), the first time the Hindu festival of colours is being officially marked in the overwhelmingly the Muslim country.
The move comes days after the federal parliament passed a non-binding resolution that called for the country to observe Hindu and Christian holidays.
Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari, daughter of ex-president Asif Ali Zardari congratulated Hindu families on the twitter. Hindus in Pakistan make up around two per cent of Pakistan’s 200 million people and mostly live in southern Sindh province.Christians account for roughly 1.6 per cent of the population. The ancient Hindu festival of Holi – which heralds the end of winter and the victory of good over evil – is marked with a national public holiday in India and sees revelers pour onto the streets.
Celebrated mainly in India, Nepal and other countries with large Hindu populations, it falls on the last full moon of winter. Earlier on Wednesday, former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari felicitated Hindu community of Pakistan on 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 a message.
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