Pakistan is a diverse society having different ethnic, sectarian and communal groups living under one umbrella. Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Hindu, Bahai and other groups celebrate their religious festivals, including Eidul Fitr, Eidul Azha, Diwali, Christmas and birth anniversaries of Baba Guru Nanak and Hazrat Bahauddin with full moral and spiritual fibre.

We used to witness joint celebrations by the people of different religions, and the families used to exchange gifts on these occasions, while children used to arrange joint recreational activities and programmes, including quiz and games.

For the last many years the growth of intolerance in our society has injured that culture and we are every day becoming more hostile, aggressive and antagonistic towards the religions of others.

In the post-9/11 world the debate on clash of civilisations and war against terror has further destroyed the progressive and secular spirit of the majority people of the state.

Before this dent, prolonged military interventions, authoritarian democratic rule and the use of jihad as a tool of extension of their illegal and unconstitutional martial laws, the dictators have freely used religious sentiments and interpreted law and the Constitution as per their own 'demand or necessity'.

The Constitution of Pakistan was altered to persecute religious groups in the country and later on the term 'minority' was deliberately introduced to disfranchise Christian, Sikh, Hindu, Bahai and other groups from the mainstream, though they were equally law-abiding and taxpaying citizens of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

The extremists and the right-wing media, particularly some TV channels of the country, are portraying other religions as exotic and obscurantist. On the other hand, the same right-wing media of the West is calling Islam a backward and extremist form of faith.

There is a need to promote interfaith dialogue to reduce the rapidly growing hatred and abhorrence.

Today the growing poverty, unemployment, lawlessness and other socio-economic crises in the country are adding to the miseries of the people at large. The hitherto unstoppable suicide bombings are now even targeting religious and sacred places of Muslims.

We should at least learn from former president Pervez Musharraf who had at least done one positive thing he abolished the system of separate electorate. Although his motives were 'calculated' the ultimate outcome was positive. Why can't a democratically elected government do more?

Today the coalition government in Islamabad and its Constitutional Reforms Committee have a historic opportunity to amend all those discriminatory laws that were made to maltreat Christian, Sikh, Hindu, Bahai, Ahmadis and others, and which are against the spirit of democratic and progressive values of a state

Today the Hindus, equally loyal citizens of Pakistan, are celebrating their grand festival of Diwali, which means festival of lights. Let us join them and promise to ban religious bigotry and extremism and show to the world that we believe in peaceful coexistence.

Let us arrange spaces for the people belonging to the Hindu community to celebrate their religious festivals at one platform and encourage the efforts and need for interfaith dialogue to promote tolerance in society. Let us start with saying 'Happy Diwali' to a Hindu living in our neighborhood and pursue him/her to follow the same course for other religions.

ZULFIQAR HALEPOTO
Hyderabad

A day of beginning

Festivals are not just religious orders for disciples to follow but they pour essence into life. An occasion like a religious festival or a day brings charm and colour into our mundane lives. Such a festival is a day of get-together and of sameness.

Religious days of minorities are not a highlighted point. In the case of a minority community of Pakistan such as Hindu, its kith and kin have invariably very few choices in this regard.

Among all the Hindu religious festivals Diwali (also called Deepawali) is distinguished to be one not only because of its jubilant way of celebration but for its historical background too.

It falls in Kaartik, the eighth month of Hindu calendar every year. This year it is being celebrated on Nov 5.

Diwali is the day that marks the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom Ayodhya. Rama was the son of King Dasrath. The king had three queens and three sons from each.

At the two-day event, Diwali's first day celebrations relate to Rama's return to the capital and to power as well. Already painted houses are lit with candles and 'diyas'; delicious foods and sweets are prepared; fireworks are put on display later in the night, prayers are offered to Laxmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity.

It is believed among Hindus that on that night she must bestow her blessings upon all. Pooja also continues on the next day, besides meetings with relatives and loved ones.

To Hindus Diwali is a day of beginning. Businessmen consider it as the first day of new fiscal year; to farmers it is time for sowing new crops; fishermen start preparing to go into the deep sea for their livelihood and, above, all Diwali is the best time to tie the knot. Weddings of couples already engaged are arranged immediately after it.

Although Diwali is a minority festival, it is celebrated in the province of Sindh, especially in Thar, where Hindus live in large numbers. It is celebrated by both Hindus and Muslims with similar zeal and joy.

Kunbhar -- a Muslim community -- makes 'diyas' and presents them to their Hindu brothers for lighting their houses on the occasion. Diwali represents religious harmony and social equivalence in those parts of the country.

DR GOBIND MENGHWAR
Umerkot