Pakistan president condemns Valentine's Day

Islamabad, 6 Jumadal Awwal 1437/February 14, 2016 (MINA) – Pakistan’s president has denounced Valentine’s Day, saying the festival has no connection with Pakistani culture and should be avoided.

President Mamnoon Hussain told students that it was a Western tradition and conflicted with Muslim culture, BBC News Sunday reported.

His remarks came after a district in north-western Pakistan banned Valentine’s Day celebrations.

Valentine’s Day is popular in many cities in Pakistan, but religious groups have denounced it as decadent.

A directive from the Kohat government showing the ban on Valentine’s Day celebrationsImage copyrightKohat District Government.

Earlier this week, the local government in Kohat, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, told police officers to stop shops from selling Valentine’s Day cards and items.
Meanwhile, the Peshawar local council also passed a resolution to ban celebrations of what it called a “useless” day.

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Kohat district administrator Maulana Niaz Muhammad told the BBC Urdu: “Valentine’s Day has no legal grounds, and secondly it is against our religion, therefore it was banned.” (T/P4/R04)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)