Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain has urged his nation not to observe Valentine's Day, denouncing the romantic holiday as a Western import.
"Valentine's Day has no connection with our culture and it should be avoided," Hussain told students at a ceremony celebrating a nationalist leader.
Hussain urged the young people to focus on their studies instead.
Despite its roots as a Christian holiday, Valentine's Day has gained popularity among Pakistanis, prompting hard-line Muslim clerics to call for a ban on the celebration.
The northwestern city of Peshawar, near the Afghan border, has reportedly banned Valentine's Day celebrations.
Authorities in the conservative northwestern Kohat district also instructed police to halt any celebrations of Valentine's Day.
Local media reported earlier in the week that Islamabad would outlaw the holiday as an "insult to Islam," but city officials later said such a ban could not be enforced.
Editors' Picks
Top Trending
1
U.S. Ex-General Says Russia Benefits From Dam Blast, Putin 'Likely' To Use Nuclear Weapons Rather Than Lose In Ukraine
2Destruction Of Major Dam In Ukraine Causes Massive Flooding, Raises Fears Of Environmental Disaster
3Ukrainian Military Says Forces Making Advances In Bakhmut Area
4Ukrainian Forces Storm Russian Trenches North Of Bakhmut
5Ukraine Goes On The Offensive, Trying To Turn The Tide Of Battle -- Once And For All
6'Putin Is Not In Control': Photos Show Widespread Destruction In Russia's Belgorod Region
7Russian Officer Accuses Wagner Group Of Abductions, Torture Of Russian Military Personnel
8Wagner Group Posts Video Of Russian Officer In Sign Of Rising Tensions With Army
9Kremlin Says Putin Mobilization Announcement Broadcast On Radio Stations Was 'Fake'
10After The Flood: What We Know About The Destroyed Ukrainian Dam And Its Consequences
Subscribe
