13 February 2016

Pakistan president condemns St Valentine's Day

Pakistan's president has denounced St 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.

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.

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.

Kohat district is run by a religious political party and borders Pakistan's conservative tribal areas.

Meanwhile, the Peshawar local council also passed a resolution to ban celebrations of what it called a "useless" day. [BBC] Read more