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Basant festival

LHC summons law officer on 16th with instructions on official order

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: A division bench of the Lahore High Court, headed by Chief Justice Mian Allah Nawaz, on Tuesday directed the law officer to appear before the court on February 16, with necessary instructions in a petition filed against celebrating the Basant Festival officially and publicly.

The petitioner, M D Tahir, contended that despite knowing the fact that the Basant was an 'un-Islamic' festival, the government was going to celebrate it officially.

He said that for the first time this festival was celebrated on the occasion of death anniversary of a Hindu Haqiqat Rai Mal, who was behead in 1759 on the orders of the then Punjab Governor, Zakria Khan, for passing derogatory remarks against the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

He said that another Hindu Kaloo Ram had celebrated the death anniversary by holding Basant festival in Lahore and since then the people of Punjab have been celebrating this festival.

He said this festival results not only in loss of millions of rupees, but also precious human lives every year. He, therefore, prayed to the court to direct the respondent government not to celebrate the festival officially.

He also prayed to the court to direct the respondent government to take necessary steps to stop people from celebrating this un-Islamic festival.

The Chief Justice observed that the Indonesia government had allowed the people to celebrate the basant at open places and made some special arrangements for the purpose.

He, therefore, directed the law officer to appear before the court on next date of hearing with necessary instructions from the government in this regard.