Mamnoon congratulates Hindu community on occasion of Holi

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Mamnoon congratulates Hindu community on occasion of Holi

APP Published March 4, 2015

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ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain felicitated the Hindu community for celebrating this year's Holi festival and believes that the cultural activity generates harmony and brotherhood in society.

“I feel great pleasure to extend my best wishes to the Hindu community celebrating this year's Holi festival all over the world and in particular to those living in Pakistan,” the president said in his message this year.

The president called Holi a time for rejoicing and conveying a message of festivity, happiness, charity, and acknowledged the valuable contribution made by the Hindu community in Pakistan in all fields.

Take a look: Photo feature: Breaking taboos ─ First Holi ever for Indian widows

"The nation is proud of their great contributions for the development of the country and deeply admire their loyalty to the state," he added. “I have no doubt that they will continue to play their positive role for peace, progress and prosperity of Pakistan.”

The president said the equality of all citizens of the state was enshrined in the constitution ─ an idea made abundantly clear by the Quaid-e-Azam in his address to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on August 11, 1947.

Also read: Mithi: Where a Hindu fasts and a Muslim does not slaughter cows

According to the president, the government of Pakistan is committed to pursuing policies that are aimed at fostering greater inter-faith harmony and cohesion.

“Let me reiterate our commitment to continue fighting religious intolerance. Let it also be made clear that we will not permit the persecution of members of other faiths in the name of religion,” the president stated.

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Manjeet kocchar

Mar 04, 2015 08:14pm

Happy holi president sahab

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Dwaraka Nath

Mar 04, 2015 08:17pm

Good gesture by President of Pakistan ,let Holi bring happiness to all religion !

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Arindam

Mar 04, 2015 08:22pm

I'm sorry to have to say this, but even when leaders in Pakistan try to be more inclusive, they often come off as sectarian. At Id, does Mr. Mamnoon wish the "Muslim community" on the occasion? In India, the leadership wishes the entire country on festivals. My Muslim friends wish me "Id Mubarak", and in two days, I will wish them "Happy Holi" and embrace them. I'm sure individual friends in Pakistan may be doing the same thing, but this is not a good example for the President to set.

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Mar 04, 2015 08:27pm

India & Pakistan should live as good neighbours. No body can deny that we share common heritage. Only religion should not divide the people of sub-continent.

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Iftikhar Gul

Mar 04, 2015 08:31pm

I am so happy to see this coming from the Honourable President of Pakistan. an excellent gesture.

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Mar 04, 2015 08:32pm

I am very happy to see Hindus celebrating Holi in Pakistan. This will remove doubts in peoples minds especially hardliner Hindus in India that Pakistan do care about minorities. Good gesture.God bless Pakistan.

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prakash

Mar 04, 2015 08:34pm

Many thanks from across the border

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Pak-Patriot

Mar 04, 2015 08:38pm

Our Hindu community is equally tax-paying Pakistani and must be treated equal. Islam provides for better protection for the citizen of other faiths when they pay their taxes and perform their functions honorably. We must make laws for their special treatment in events peculiar to their ways of life, irrespective of their India-oriented faith. We must take our own example of our relations with Sri Lanka.

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Indoaryan

Mar 04, 2015 08:38pm

Is this the first time, that a sitting President of Pakistan, has taken the trouble to congratulate the Hindu community on one of their Holi festival ? And that too it should happen, in Pakistan, after reducing the Hindu Population from 22% in 1951 to less than 2% these days. Shocking but true.

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apoorva

Mar 04, 2015 08:45pm

Is Pakistan trying to be a secular country?

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Tom

Mar 04, 2015 08:46pm

Thank you Mr President. And here is a good wish to all Pakistani brothers and sisters from across the border: "May all Pakistanis be at peace. May their heart remain open. May they realize the beauty of their own true nature. May they be healed. May they be a source of healing for this world."

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An Indian

Mar 04, 2015 08:54pm

Great gesture ! Such statesmanship can elevate Pakistan's stature internationally.

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Hassan

Mar 04, 2015 08:56pm

@Tom : Many thanks....

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Harmony

Mar 04, 2015 08:59pm

@Arindam - There is always a disgruntled one, no matter what!

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From India

Mar 04, 2015 09:16pm

Thank you and wish you the same. Though I just can't help but notice that if only Indian PM had wished just 'Muslim community' on Id, Indian media would have hounded him for being communal minded for wishing only Muslims :). That aside, a very nice gesture from Pakistan's president.

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Awais Ali

Mar 04, 2015 09:33pm

Sumptuous gesture.

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USA

Mar 04, 2015 09:38pm

@ No name...When did hardliners in India say something about Hindus in Pak???

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USA

Mar 04, 2015 09:42pm

Why is everybody so happy to see him greet Hindus on Holi? Must have never happened before

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Awais Ali

Mar 04, 2015 09:43pm

@Indoaryan 22% were all minorities and was in both Pak and today Bangladesh. they were mostly in east Bengal(east pak). Lets check bangladesh have almost 16 to 18% minorities and add 3% of Pak its still 22% as was in 1951. what can i do if you have such info?

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Vivek Bajpai

Mar 04, 2015 09:49pm

Holi ke din dil mil jate hain, dushman bhi gale mil jate hain Happy Holi to all in Pakistan, India & all over.

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Anurag Shukla

Mar 04, 2015 09:49pm

Thank's Mr. President Lot of reform still need to Hindus, who lives in Pakistan and Bangladesh. But Thanks again.. And please do the needful, ......

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Mustafa

Mar 04, 2015 09:51pm

@AK; " No body can deny that we share common heritage." Very true, but Pakistan shares a common heritage with a number of other civilizations. Urdu is not just another South Asian language like Hindi or Bengali. It has been enriched tremendously by Persian and Arabic, "Urdu" itself is a Turkish word. Most of our cuisine carries names from Persian (Biryani, Polao, Falooda, Qalaqand, Qulfi, Naan) and Arabic (Qorma, Kabab, Dulma,Masala). Our dresses are Shalwar (Turkish) and Qameez (Arabic).

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Mustafa

Mar 04, 2015 10:00pm

Modi would look foolish congratulating the Muslim community after the comments he made likening the Muslims slaughtered in Gujarat to a dog run over by his car.

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Raja

Mar 04, 2015 10:19pm

Happy Holy to all Indians.

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Yusuf Pathan

Mar 04, 2015 10:25pm

@ Hmmmm.... Did it? Really?

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Boomerang

Mar 04, 2015 10:51pm

@Mustafa Most of the examples you quote as a common heritage of Pakistan with a number of other civilizations are also shared by entire Hindustan too. Pls check.

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Hari

Mar 04, 2015 10:58pm

by the way how many hindus are left in Pakistan?

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Ganesh

Mar 04, 2015 11:08pm

Oh. This guy is President of Pakistan ah....

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MMM

Mar 04, 2015 11:13pm

@Arindam I agree with you but we are making progress and heading towards the right direction. Almost all societies at some time have indulged in religious bigotry and turned around after suffering heavy losses because of that. I believe, we have learned our lessons.

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Harmony

Mar 05, 2015 12:15am

@Hari - Come and check out!

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atif

Mar 05, 2015 12:22am

@Arindam Happy Holi to you and your family, but to be honest its not a festival we celebrate in Pakistan or is visibly celebrated here so to wish everyone in Pakistan happy holi will not make sense..but it definitely does in India as majority population celebrates it. I thinks its great colorful celebration so should be enjoyed by all.

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Zak

Mar 05, 2015 12:35am

@AK no common heritage. Sikh, Tamil all different. Must understand reality, not wrong history.

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arvi

Mar 05, 2015 01:24am

"Loyality to the state..."...that's the funniest part...never heard of anything like that in any country

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m singh

Mar 05, 2015 01:36am

dont know if its possible in pakistan......

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Mustafa

Mar 05, 2015 02:28am

@apoorva; "Is Pakistan trying to be a secular country?" No, we are Muslims and make no apologies for it. What our president did is entirely in consonance with Islam.

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Ridwan

Mar 05, 2015 02:36am

@Indoaryan You know where those Hindus lived? East pakistan. Indians think there was a silent holocaust without kiting simple facts. By the way, where are the Muslims in east Punjab?

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Ridwan

Mar 05, 2015 02:39am

@Boomerang Entire Hindustan? I don't think south India has these same ties to Central Asia. Or Assam/northeast.

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Amv houston

Mar 05, 2015 05:01am

@USA So you are not happy about him wishing? You must have not lived in US for long All my indian Hindu friend we always wish each other. People like you are the trouble

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Mar 05, 2015 05:09am

@Awais Ali that's a very bad math. You figure out why it's bad.

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An Indian

Mar 05, 2015 05:16am

@Mustafa We eat pasta,macaroni,biriyani,chowmin,dumpling,pizza,pao bhazi,faluda,naan,tandoori,dosa,samosa,etc,etc.We are not interested to know from which country which name came.The food should be good,that's all and we are called Indian.

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bantee

Mar 05, 2015 05:25am

@Mustafa India also share this heritage, not sure why we think it is only for Pakistan. Urdu literature is more popular in India and Bollywood takes it to the world. I am Hindu, but my parent's main language is Urdu (reading writing). My father listen to Urdu songs more than Hindi, even Gulam Ali+Sabri Broths...

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Arindam

Mar 05, 2015 05:39am

@MMM and @Atif, perhaps you're right that I'm reading too much into this, and it's certainly a good gesture by the President. In any case, a very happy Holi to you and your family.

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Mar 05, 2015 05:46am

First steps for Pakistan on its road to secularism. With the establishment of secularism and total religious tolerance Pakistan would learn to live in harmony with itself, and neighbours. Thus may peace prevail in the Sub Continent.

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Yousaf

Mar 05, 2015 05:56am

Half of your Hindu population is sitting in India. Bring them back first.

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PH Bharadia

Mar 05, 2015 06:19am

@Zak ,thanks,you may wonder to note that Indian Subcontinent Muslims have common DNA with Hindus,because their forefathers were the same,say Hindus.

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saad

Mar 05, 2015 06:29am

@Indoaryan it was 22% in 1951 when east pak was part of pak, because bangladesh has a huge hindu poppulation, after 1971, the hindu poppulation was reduced as bengladesh was separated

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saad

Mar 05, 2015 06:31am

@apoorva Hindus of Pakistan are equally patriotic people, our chief justice was Rana Bhagwandas, a hindu, hindu officers serve in our army , and we consider them our brothers, they are our fellow countrymen, just the way Indian muslims are your countrymen

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saad

Mar 05, 2015 06:34am

@Boomerang , Pakistan's heritage comes from Gandhara civilization, Indus valley civilization and Mehrghar civilizations all developed at the banks of River Indus, it is only Indian Punjab and Kashmir which shares these civilizations with us, the rest of India's heritage comes from civilizations and empires developed in Ganges and Yumuna river valleys, really different from Pakistan's civilizations

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Pak-Patriot

Mar 05, 2015 12:30pm

@Indoaryan : Be factual Aryan. It was East Pakistan where 22% Hindus were living at Partition. Now, they are only 4% in Bangladesh and most of them have migrated to West Bengal. About Hindus in West Pakistan, they were about 2% of the whole Pakistan (East and West) and they are now about 1.8% of the present population.

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deep

Mar 05, 2015 03:14pm

pakistan will relive must, good to see, Progress togeather

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reader

Mar 05, 2015 03:25pm

It's true actually what some of the Indians are saying here, about wishing Holi to specifically just the 'Hindu community'. Before i started reading newspapers, I had never any idea that 'Holi' was even affiliated with Hindu religion at all. As usually I would see people regularly engaging in it, and I thought it was a Pakistani / South Asian thing. But I think the President was only doing this to try to assure Hindu community of government's backing for their safety nowadays. Which I think is much needed to provide this assurity as they are a poor and insecure community. Unfortunately the government is too concerned with corruption in reality to actually protect any minority community or majority community either.

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