Pakistan’s Hindu Council supports appeal as authorities cite Iran crisis and escalation on western border
President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the Hindu community to celebrate Holi in a simple and restrained manner this year, citing the prevailing security situation on Pakistan’s western border and heightened regional tensions, and calling for unity and shared responsibility.
President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the Hindu community to celebrate Holi in a simple and restrained manner this year, keeping in mind the situation on Pakistan’s western border and tensions in the region, and has called for unity and shared responsibility at this time.
— President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) 1 March 2026
The Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) fully supported the President’s appeal. In a statement issued on Monday, PHC chief Ramesh Kumar Vankwani directed the council to review preparations for annual Holi celebrations across the country.
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He urged local community representatives to exercise caution, avoid large public events and extend full cooperation to local authorities.
Vankwani said that the patriotic Hindu community in Pakistan has consistently played a positive role in promoting national unity, harmony and interfaith cohesion.
Similarly, Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori sent Holi greetings to the Hindu community, describing the festival as “a beautiful celebration of colours, love and brotherhood.”
He said Sindh, known as the land of Sufis, is defined by tolerance and harmony, adding that minorities in Pakistan enjoy constitutional and religious freedom. Acknowledging the role of the Hindu community in the country’s development and prosperity, the governor noted that Holi carries the message of erasing hatred and spreading the colors of love and peace.
The advisory comes amid heightened regional uncertainty over the weekend after the US and Israel launched what they described as a “preemptive” joint strike against targets in Iran, with US President Donald Trump announcing the start of “major combat operations”.
Of greater concern, Pakistan has also launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against the Afghan Taliban following what officials described as “unprovoked firing” from across the border. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan’s armed forces had destroyed 182 Taliban positions and captured 31, signaling a sharp escalation along the western border.
Holi, often called the festival of colors, is a major Hindu spring festival that symbolizes the victory of good over evil and the arrival of spring. Celebrated with colored powder, festive gatherings and traditional sweets, it is observed by Hindu communities across Pakistan and the wider region.
