Basant festival, the annual cultural event, is scheduled at Lahore from the 3rd to the 6th of February, for which arrangements have already been undertaken by the concerned authorities. In the backdrop of the one of the biggest disasters of the century faced currently by many neighbouring countries, it would not be appropriate for us to hold festivities at national level.
The countries battered by the Asian tsunami, which include Islamic States too, have suffered irreparable loss of lives and destruction of properties. Hundreds of thousands of persons have died and millions have been made homeless. There are numerous resultant challenges to meet, making the reconstruction of these nations a difficult task.
Pakistan is among the few countries that have quickly responded to assist the affected countries for rehabilitation of the tsunami victims and in providing relief goods. But then there is more important than the material things that the sufferers at present need ----moral support and sympathy. In their hour of distress and grief we need to express our compassion and solidarity with the neighbouring countries, on humanitarian considerations.
If Basant festival is arranged as scheduled it would also tarnish the international image of Pakistan. The other world is already critical of the Islamic States for not demonstrating enough concern on the tragedy that struck the affected countries.