Punjab's Minister for Minorities Affairs, Ramesh Singh Arora, spoke at a Diwali celebration in Lahore on Sunday and said religious minorities in the province can practise their faith freely and hold equal rights. The Punjab government held the event jointly with BARGAD, a youth development organisation, at a hotel in the city. The gathering brought together people from several faiths to mark the festival.
What the minister said
Arora said minorities across the province have freedom of worship and equal rights, a position he linked to the agenda of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. He offered Diwali greetings to the Hindu community and praised BARGAD for its work on interfaith harmony, peace and mutual respect. He added that everyday acts of love, tolerance and acceptance were needed to build a harmonious society.
Arora also said the provincial government was taking practical measures to protect minority rights and ensure religious freedom. He presented these steps as part of the chief minister's direction for the province. He said people taking part in each other's festivals reflected a peaceful and united Pakistan.
Voices from the event
Professor Ashok Kumar said the diyas, the traditional clay lamps, stood for positivity, hope and happiness, and he commended BARGAD's interfaith work over the past 12 years. Jaspreet Singh said people of different faiths sharing one evening set an example of harmony, and he thanked the organisers for arranging a vegetarian dinner so that every participant could take part. BARGAD Executive Director Sabiha Shaheen said the joint event reflected the vision of Pakistan's founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, under which people of every faith could mark their festivals with dignity.
Amar Nath, a Hindu community leader, said members of his faith in Pakistan were free to observe their traditions and festivals, and he called shared celebrations a positive tradition. He ended his remarks with the slogan “Pakistan Zindabad”. Farzana Kousar of JWS said gatherings like this help clear up misconceptions and build understanding between religious communities.
How the evening unfolded
The programme opened with the traditional lighting of diyas, followed by a special Diwali prayer. It ended with a cake-cutting, the distribution of sweets and fruit, and a vegetarian dinner. People from Hindu, Sikh and Christian backgrounds, as well as Muslims, attended, along with students from Punjab University and members of civil society. BARGAD Programme Coordinator Rabia Dar thanked the participants and said the organisation would keep promoting the inclusion of all religious communities.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Lahore mein Diwali ki taqreeb mein Punjab ke minorities affairs minister Ramesh Singh Arora ne kaha ke tamam aqliyatein mazhabi azadi aur barabar huqooq rakhti hain. Punjab government ne BARGAD ke saath mil kar yeh taqreeb rakhi, jahan diyon ki roshni aur dua ke baad mukhtalif mazhab ke log shareek huay. Sarkar ka kehna hai ke aqliyaton ke huqooq ki hifazat ke liye amali iqdamat kiye ja rahe hain. Aam shehri ke liye iska matlab yeh hai ke mulk mein mazhabi bhaichare aur ehteram ka paigham aage barh raha hai.
