MIRPURKHAS: Mem­bers of Hindu community celebrated Diwali festival with traditional religious zeal and fervour across the district on Saturday.

They began the day with special morning prayers in their temples while youth and children exploded crackers and distributed sweets among each other.

Mirpurkhas district bar association also organised a ceremony to celebrate Diwali at the bar room. A big cake was cut by the bar president Jan Ali Junejo and other office-bearers and sweets were distributed among lawyers. Hindu lawyers expressed their joy on the occasion and said that they were happy to see that people of other faiths also joined them in their celebrations.

The district administration had deployed 289 policemen in and around 40 temples in the district to provide security to Hindu community on their festival. Policemen were also posted in markets, shopping centres, roundabouts and entry and exit points of the city to avert any untoward incident.

Meanwhile, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakis­tan Mirpurkhas chapter in-charge Khushi Moh­ammad Mughal and other party leaders congratulated Hindu community on their festival and said that Muslimsand people of other faiths also shared their celebrations.

They said in a joint press statement that Hindu community should pray for religious harmony, peace, prosperity and progress of the country.

Later in the day, large crowds of Hindu community people were seen thronging markets and bazaars in Mirpurkhas, Mirwah Gorc­hani, Digri, Jhuddo, Tando Jan Moh­am­­mad, Naokot, Kot Ghulam Mohammad, Sind­hri, Hingorno, Phuladiyoon and Khaan towns.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2020