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Diwali in Pakistan

5th November 2013 | Agencies

The festival of Diwali, also known as the "Festival of Lights", is one of the most important religious festivals in the Hindu calender. It represents the triumph of good over evil. As such Hindu communities from across Pakistan observed and celebrated the auspicious event.

A member of the Hindu community in Hyderabad performs a religious ritual to celebrate Dewali, at a local temple. – Photo by APP
A member of the Hindu community in Hyderabad performs a religious ritual to celebrate Dewali, at a local temple. – Photo by APP
A member of the Hindu community in Hyderabad performs a religious ritual in honor of Dewali. – Photo by INP
A member of the Hindu community in Hyderabad performs a religious ritual in honor of Dewali. – Photo by INP
Women from Hyderabad's Hindu community perform rituals to honor the gods during Diwali. – Photo by INP
Women from Hyderabad's Hindu community perform rituals to honor the gods during Diwali. – Photo by INP
A member of Larkana’s Hindu community performs a religious ritual to celebrate Dewali, at a local temple. – Photo by APP
A member of Larkana’s Hindu community performs a religious ritual to celebrate Dewali, at a local temple. – Photo by APP
Hindu women offer prayers during a ceremony for Diwali, in Hyderabad. – Photo by PPI
Hindu women offer prayers during a ceremony for Diwali, in Hyderabad. – Photo by PPI
Pakistani Hindus celebrate Diwali with fireworks in Lahore. – Photo by AFP
Pakistani Hindus celebrate Diwali with fireworks in Lahore. – Photo by AFP
A young Pakistani Hindu sits near a "rangoli," which are traditional patterns made from coloured powders, during Diwali celebrations at the Shree Swami Narayan Temple in Karachi. – Photo by Reuters
A young Pakistani Hindu sits near a "rangoli," which are traditional patterns made from coloured powders, during Diwali celebrations at the Shree Swami Narayan Temple in Karachi. – Photo by Reuters
Pakistani Hindus celebrate Diwali with fireworks in Karachi. – Photo by AFP
Pakistani Hindus celebrate Diwali with fireworks in Karachi. – Photo by AFP
A Hindu child plays with sparklers during Diwali celebrations, held near Swami Narayan Temple in Karachi. – Photo by PPI
A Hindu child plays with sparklers during Diwali celebrations, held near Swami Narayan Temple in Karachi. – Photo by PPI

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Comments (18) Closed

HUMA CHAUDHRY
Nov 05, 2013 03:05pm
:) MAY ALL MINORITIES LIVE PEACEFULLY IN PAKISTAN. THAT'S THE KIND OF PAKISTAN QUAID DREAMED OF.
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Ben
Nov 05, 2013 03:24pm
Very graceful people. May God bless them !
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nitish
Nov 05, 2013 04:50pm
@HUMA CHAUDHRY: where is equality
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pakistani
Nov 05, 2013 05:34pm
Wish you happy Deepawali to All Hindus specially to Pakistani hindus
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Siddharth
Nov 05, 2013 07:05pm
One of the pic has 2 Pakistani flags while hindus celebrate Diwali. proud of you guys....
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Lakhkar Khan
Nov 05, 2013 07:50pm
Happy Diwali to all Hindus. I hope the future brings religious tolerance and prosperity to Pakistan.
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Amit
Nov 05, 2013 11:06pm
Thanks Dawn! Good to see Diwali celebration pics from Pakistan.
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atul
Nov 06, 2013 08:27am
All these pictures seem to have been taken from "a single family" or at most a couple of families to give the illusion of widespread and open celebration of diwali by pakistani hindus
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john
Nov 06, 2013 10:31am
its really nice to see that hindu & sikhs can celebrate their fests without any fear....may god grant peace & prosperity to pakistan...
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AR
Nov 06, 2013 10:41am
Happy Diwali to all....these are really good pictures. happy to see that our Hindu brothers are celebrating there religious festivals with freedom. we must have this religious freedom everywhere in Pakistan.
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Mahmood Ahmed
Nov 06, 2013 05:44pm
hello all those pakistanis wish you a very happy diwali. one of my most cherish desires is to see festivals such as diwali be made a public occasion and be officially recognized holiday throughout pakistan. what a antidote for all those tightarsed mullahs and so called mullanas it would make and heal our fractured society. thanking you
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YAYAQ
Nov 06, 2013 09:32pm
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amir
Nov 06, 2013 10:27pm
Such non-muslim festivities are insensitive to the majority population in Pakistan.
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Aurangzeb
Nov 07, 2013 12:51am
Wish all Pakistani Hindooos a very happy Diwali.
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Ash
Nov 07, 2013 01:13am
@Siddharth: My friend they have to display those Pakistani flags. comeon. This is for their bare survival in the bigoted country. All the best Pakistan !!
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Asgher Ali
Nov 07, 2013 02:01am
It is so heart warming to see our fellow pakistanis enjoying their religious occasions so happily. May it extend to throughout the country. I remember as a school student in Karachi, some of my friends group conmsisted of many Hindus. Whenever there were any signs of ethnic disturbances, we would go and spend dyas and sometimes nights at their residences to boost their moral. Thnaks again for this positive story.
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BRR
Nov 07, 2013 04:43am
@Mahmood Ahmed: Might as well ask for the moon for it will never happen. All I would hope for before minorities all get pushed out or killed is to JUST LEAVE them alone, not persecute them. Is that too much to ask - to be left alone?
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Vikash Kumar
Nov 07, 2013 05:11am
Nice to see a happy and positive picture/news in middle so many crime/murders/terrorism news. I being Hindu pray that even a small Diwali lighting in Pakistan would lighten many hearts of our Pakistani muslim brothers. It may be hard for a majority of population to understand my words, still they could ponder upon it. "A friendship, nice feelings and non-violent approach between India and Pakistan is the only way to development and prosperity of both the countries." Trust me more than 98% of Indians pray for good relations with Pakistan.
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