Pakistan Hindu Council backs call as authorities cite Iran crisis, escalation on western border
President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the Hindu community to celebrate Holi in a simple and moderate manner this year, citing the prevailing security situation on Pakistan’s western border and rising regional tensions, and called for unity and shared responsibility.
President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the Hindu community to celebrate Holi in a simple and measured 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.
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) March 1, 2026
The Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) fully supported the President’s call. In a statement issued on Monday, PHC patron-in-chief Ramesh Kumar Vankwani directed the council to review preparations for the annual Holi celebrations across the country.
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He urged community representatives to exercise caution, avoid large-scale public events and provide full cooperation to local authorities.
Vankwani said Pakistan’s patriotic Hindu community has consistently played a positive role in promoting national unity, harmony and interfaith cohesion.
Similarly, Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori extended his Holi greetings to the Hindu community and described 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. The governor acknowledged the role of the Hindu community in the development and prosperity of the country and noted that Holi carries the message of erasing hatred and spreading the colors of love and peace.
The warning comes amid heightened regional uncertainty over the weekend after the United States and Israel launched what they described as a “preemptive” joint strike against targets in Iran, and US President Donald Trump announced the start of “major combat operations.”
Compounding concerns, Pakistan 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 posts and captured 31, indicating a sharp escalation along the western border.
Holi, often called the festival of colors, is an important Hindu spring festival that symbolizes the victory of good over evil and the arrival of spring. Celebrated with colorful powders, festive gatherings and traditional sweets, it is observed by Hindu communities across Pakistan and the wider region.
