Hindu students booked, sent show cause notice for celebrating Hindu festival of Holi on campus in Pakistan
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan 
20 February, 2025
Case Summary
Dawood University of Engineering and Technology in Karachi, Pakistan issued a show-cause notice to students who celebrated the Hindu festival of Holi on campus. Additionally, FIRs have been registered against several Hindu students, accusing them of chanting anti-state slogans on the University premises. A video of the Holi celebration on the university campus, along with the show-cause notice issued by the administration went viral on social media. The notice accused the Hindu students of engaging in activities deemed offensive to the state. The matter garnered national attention when Lal Malhi, a former member of Pakistan's National Assembly, took to social media to voice his concerns about the increasing criminalisation of minority religious practices in Pakistan. Malhi questioned, "Has celebrating Holi now become a crime? Is observing Holi at a university considered an act against the state?"
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category of- Restriction/ban on Hindu practices. Under this, the first sub-category selected is- Restriction on expression of Hindu identity. An example of the state-affected prejudicial and targeted orders against the Hindu community would be a government denying the right of a Hindu or a group of Hindus to hold a religious procession owing to the animosity of non-Hindu groups. Denial of the religious right of the Hindus to assuage the non-Hindu group which harbours animosity to a point where it could lead to violence against Hindus is not only a failure of law and order but is a prejudicial order against Hindus, denying them their fundamental rights to express their religious identity. An example of a hate crime against Hindus by a non-Hindu would be a non-Hindu institution forcing its Hindu employees to abandon religious symbols that a Hindu would wear as an expression of faith owing to inherent prejudice against the faith professed by the victim or a non-Hindu group of people restricting a Hindu group from constructing a place of worship simply because the demography of the area in which the temple is being built is dominated by non-Hindus. Such actions are driven by religious animosity and/or prejudice against Hindus and their faith and would therefore be categorized as a hate crime. The second sub-category selected here is- Administration restricting religious practice. An example of the state-affected prejudicial and targeted orders against the Hindu community would be a government denying the right of a Hindu or a group of Hindus to hold a religious procession owing to the animosity of non-Hindu groups. Denial of the religious right of the Hindus to assuage the non-Hindu group which harbours animosity to a point where it could lead to violence against Hindus is not only a failure of law and order but is a prejudicial order against Hindus, denying them their fundamental rights to express their religious identity. An example of a hate crime against Hindus by a non-Hindu would be a non-Hindu institution forcing its Hindu employees to abandon religious symbols that a Hindu would wear as an expression of faith owing to inherent prejudice against the faith professed by the victim or a non-Hindu group of people restricting a Hindu group from constructing a place of worship simply because the demography of the area in which the temple is being built is dominated by non-Hindus. Such actions are driven by religious animosity and/or prejudice against Hindus and their faith and would therefore be categorized as a hate crime. Hindu minorities in Pakistan face persistent persecution, marked by systemic discrimination, violence, and forced conversions. Hindus, particularly women and young girls, are often abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and married off to Muslim men with little to no legal recourse. Temples are frequently vandalised or destroyed, and Hindu communities are subjected to social and economic marginalisation. Blasphemy laws are disproportionately used against Hindus, leading to false accusations and severe punishments. Many Hindu families are forced to flee their homes due to religious intolerance, living in constant fear of attacks. This sustained persecution highlights the dire conditions for Hindus in Pakistan, where their religious identity makes them targets of oppression. This instance highlights the broader issue of intolerance and discrimination faced by religious minorities, especially Hindus, in Pakistan. Holi is one of the most significant festivals in Hinduism and the college authorities penalising Hindu students for celebrating their festival constitutes a hate crime as it involves discrimination, coercion, and religious intolerance. Such actions are aimed at suppressing the religious practices of the Hindus. Furthermore, all educational institutions are required to treat every religious community equally and with respect. Dawood University of Engineering and Technology's decision can only be interpreted as discriminatory and unjust towards the minority community. Every individual has the right to celebrate their own festival and restricting someone from doing that can also be considered a prejudicial order denying the Hindu community its fundamental rights. Since the arbitrary action taken against the Hindu students was prejudicial to the rights of Hindus and stemmed from animosity and prejudice against Hindu beliefs, this case is being categorised as a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
State and Establishment
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
