At least 15 students were injured as the Islami Jamiat Tulba (IJT) activists attacked Hindu students at Punjab University for holding an event to celebrate Holi.
The students had taken permission from the university administration prior to holding the event.
However, the IJT activists carrying guns and batons attacked the gathering of students when they were celebrating Holi.
A number of videos circulating on social media show Jamiat students attacking the gathering carrying batons.
In Punjab Uni. students from Hindu community arranged #holicelebration were attacked by Jamait union.
The religious prejudice is only observed in the secular countries by muslims otherwise they can butcher you for having diff faiths in Pakistan.Religious bigotry is motto pic.twitter.com/BZEMZTdyVv
— SorathSindhu (@SindhuSorath) March 6, 2023
According to a Dawn report, the Sindh Council at the PU along with the Hindu students organised the event. The council started receiving threats when they posted invitations for the Holi celebration on their Facebook page and they were attacked when the Sindh Council members and Hindu students had gathered to celebrate the event.
CONDEMNATION:
Netizens strongly condemned the incident with many social media users calling the attack “shameful”.
Activist Ammar Ali Jan condemned the “shameful” attack, saying that these attacks will continue “unless we accept and celebrate the many histories and cultures that shape our country”.
Shameful attack on Holi celebrations in Punjab University by IJT. It reflects a deep sense of paranoia that stems from our need to expel “impurities” from own past. This sickness will continue unless we accept and celebrate the many histories and cultures that shape our country.
— Ammar Ali Jan (@ammaralijan) March 7, 2023
Activist Amar Sindhu urged the Punjab government to take action against the attack.
Strongly condemn the attack of goons of Jamite Islami on students who were celebrating Holi in Punjab University, Lahore
Punjab govt must take action the goons@AuratMarch @ammaralijan @FarooqTariq3 @Aurat_marchisb @aslamkhwaja @AzadAli7786 @MaryamShKhan @MaryamNSharif pic.twitter.com/JcJFvo3S0G— amar sindhu (@amarsindhu) March 6, 2023
According to a recent report by the United States Institute of Peace, Pakistan has witnessed a surge in extremism and intolerance of diversity and dissent as the state-sanctioned laws and conservative narratives facilitate religious extremist elements and support their narrative, leaving little space for religious inclusion.
Minorities in Pakistan face persecution and marginalisation with the forced conversion of underage Hindu girls to Islam as a severe issue. Human rights groups have continuously urged the government authorities to introduce laws regarding forced conversations.
Earlier, the United Nations also urged Pakistan to curtail the practice of forced marriages of young girls from religious minorities to Muslim men. The United Nations also called on Pakistani authorities to adopt and implement legislation in this regard.
In a statement, the UN further “expressed alarm” that young girls from religious minorities are kidnapped, trafficked, forcibly converted to Islam, and forced to marry men. The statement called on Pakistani authorities to curb this practice and uphold international human rights laws.
