On Diwali, Pakistan’s top leaders have urged citizens to stand together across faiths, protect minority rights and treat the country’s cultural diversity as a shared strength. Minority rights on Diwali were the shared theme of messages from the president, the prime minister and the PPP chairman.
Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, is marked by lighting diyas, sharing sweets and gathering with family. In Pakistan, the Hindu community celebrates it in Karachi, Hyderabad, Umerkot, Tharparkar and other districts, and Sindh has declared November 9 a public holiday for the festival.
President Zardari: diversity is a strength
“Pakistan’s Hindu community is an integral part of our national life. Its contributions to education, healthcare, business, public service, social welfare, arts and culture have enriched our country. On this occasion, I pay tribute to these contributions and reaffirm that Pakistan belongs equally to all its citizens,” President Asif Ali Zardari said.
He said Diwali was also an occasion to strengthen the bonds that united Pakistanis. By sharing in one another’s celebrations, standing together in times of difficulty and rejecting prejudice and discrimination, the country could build a more just and compassionate society.
“Our diversity is not our weakness but a great strength. It should be clear to all of us that protecting the rights of religious minorities is our shared responsibility,” he said.
According to him, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah envisioned a country where faith, caste or creed would be no barrier to equal citizenship and equal rights.
“We must honour that vision by ensuring that every citizen can practise their faith freely, live in dignity and enjoy equal protection under the law,” he said.
Mr Zardari extended warm greetings to the Hindu community in Pakistan and around the world, reiterating that its contributions to education, healthcare, business, public service, social welfare, arts and culture had enriched the country.
Prime Minister Shehbaz: Constitution guarantees rights
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the Hindu community of Pakistan was a valued and integral part of the national fabric, and its invaluable contributions to the country’s social, cultural and economic development deserved the highest appreciation.
“The diverse cultural and religious traditions within our society constitute a valuable social asset. Pakistan takes immense pride in its religious and cultural diversity,” he said.
The prime minister said the Constitution guaranteed the protection of the religious and civil rights of minorities. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding the rights, dignity and religious freedoms of all citizens, irrespective of religion, faith, colour or ethnicity, adding that promoting religious harmony, mutual unity and respect was a shared responsibility.
He extended felicitations and warm wishes to the Hindu community across the world, particularly those residing in Pakistan.
Bilawal: our joys and sorrows are shared
Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also extended congratulations and warm wishes to the Hindu community in Pakistan and everyone celebrating Diwali around the world.
The PPP chairman said every lamp lit for Diwali carried a message of peace, hope, love and light, rising above distinctions of religion, colour and race to brighten every heart and home.
He said the Hindu community was an inseparable part of Pakistan and its contribution to nation-building and development was invaluable.
“Our joys and our sorrows are shared,” he said.
Minority rights on Diwali: a holiday, and a test of the message
The messages come with a practical gesture in Sindh, where the provincial government has declared a public holiday for Diwali, giving Hindu employees and students the day to celebrate with their families. It is a small step, but it is the kind that turns a greeting into something people can feel. Across the border, Delhi was ranked the world’s most polluted city on Diwali eve, a reminder that the festival’s fireworks and smoke carry a health cost too.
The harder test is the one all three leaders named: protection of minority rights in daily life. Cases of alleged forced conversion keep reaching the assemblies, including a Hindu girl’s recovery demand raised in the Balochistan Assembly, and the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has promised new minority legislation to address some of those gaps.
Frequently asked questions
What did Pakistan’s leaders say on Diwali?
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari all greeted the Hindu community and called for interfaith harmony and protection of minority rights.
What did President Zardari say about diversity?
He said Pakistan’s diversity was not a weakness but a great strength, and that protecting the rights of religious minorities was a shared responsibility. He quoted Jinnah’s vision of equal citizenship regardless of faith, caste or creed.
Is Diwali a public holiday in Pakistan?
Sindh has declared November 9 a public holiday for Diwali. The festival is observed by the Hindu community across Pakistan, including in Karachi, Hyderabad, Umerkot and Tharparkar.
What did Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari say?
He said every lamp lit for Diwali carried a message of peace, hope, love and light, and that the Hindu community was an inseparable part of Pakistan. “Our joys and our sorrows are shared,” he said.
