Punjab announces province-wide Diwali celebrations, with grand events in Rahim Yar Khan on 4 November and Lahore on 6 November

Punjab will celebrate Diwali across the province this year, and it plans to do it in style. Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora made the announcement in Lahore on Monday, extending Diwali greetings to the Hindu community in Pakistan and around the world. The government, he said, would mark the festival with the Hindu community in a grand and enthusiastic manner — not as a formality, but as a shared celebration.

Two cities, two big events
The calendar is already set. A special Diwali festival will be held in Rahim Yar Khan on 4 November, followed by another colourful event in Lahore on 6 November. The provincial government says the celebrations reflect its commitment to religious harmony, cultural diversity and inclusion — the point, in other words, being that a festival belonging to one community is being embraced as a joy for the whole province.

Preparations already under way in Rahim Yar Khan
In Rahim Yar Khan, preparations are already moving. On the Chief Minister’s directions, the district administration has decided to mark Diwali this year as a grand event rather than in the usual way. Deputy Commissioner Zaheer Anwar Jappa chaired two special meetings on Friday, with officials from the relevant departments in attendance. Several provincial ministers, senior officials, public representatives and leaders of minority communities are expected to attend in large numbers. Alongside the celebrations, cheques and gifts will be distributed to members of the minority community on behalf of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, and low-cost Diwali bazaars will be set up so that families can buy festive goods at affordable prices.

A festival of lights
Diwali, also called Deepavali, is the Festival of Lights. Its meaning is simple and old: light over darkness, good over evil, wisdom over ignorance. Homes and temples are lit with diyas, and that glow is the festival’s signature. In the same round of announcements, the minister said the Diwali events would be followed by Christmas festivities and celebrations marking the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The message from Punjab is plain enough — every community’s festival gets celebrated, together.