LAHORE: Despite the fact that all educational institutions in Lahore would be closing from today (Monday) for Eid holidays, a large number of foreign students residing at hostels and students from Gilgit Baltistan and other areas of the country would not be going to their hometowns for celebrating the event, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Long traveling distances, short holidays and examinations right after Eid were the main reasons, which had forced these students to celebrate the festival in Lahore instead of their hometowns. A large number of boarders were seen packing their bags and heading back home but some students remained confined to their rooms, as they had to celebrate Eid in Lahore.
Foreign students could not travel to their countries, as the tight holiday schedule did not allow them to spend the festival with their loved ones. A large number of students belonging to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Nigeria, Nepal, Sri Lanka, UAE, Iran and some African countries studied at various educational institutions in the city including the Punjab University (PU), University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Fatima Jinnah Medical College (FJMC), King Edward Medical University (KEMU), Beaconhouse National University (BNU) and others.
Although some of these students were non-Muslims but a majority of them were Muslims. Soha, an Iranian student at KEMU, said that she lived in a private hostel and would not be going to Tehran, as the holiday schedule was tight and she had to prepare for exams, which would be held right after Eid. Soha said that last year, she had also celebrated in Lahore due to same reasons.
Abira, a Kuwaiti student at the FJMC, said that a large number of foreign students at the varsity would not go to their hometowns and miss their families on Eid. She said that Eid was an event when families gathered and she would definitely miss her relatives. Abira said that she had bought mehndi and dresses for preparing for Eid.
Muhammad Kalam, a Saudi Arabian student at the PU, said that Eid was an event of happiness and in Saudi Arabia, people distributed meat of sacrificial animals amongst the poor and it was the main event in his country. Kalam said that they could not offer sacrifice at the PU but he along with his friends would visit various places in Lahore on Eid. He said that a large number of foreign students would offer Eid prayers in the varsity’s mosque.
Zohray, student from Abu Dhabi, UAE, said that female students from foreign countries held different programmes on Eid and prepared dishes with their friends. She said that her friends would visit different places in Lahore on Eid. Zohray said that she and her friends would telephone their relatives on Eid and definitely miss them.
Mumtaz Shah, a PU student from Gilgit, said that he had not gone home due to long traveling distance. He said that after traveling for long hours, students feel tired and have to return to their varsities immediately after Eid to join the next semester. He said that a large number of his class fellows would not go home on Eid and prepare for examinations, which would be held immediately after the Eid holidays.
A large number of Pakistani students studying abroad would also not be able to come home for celebrating Eid. Mudassar, a student studying in China, said that a large number of Pakistani students were doing PhDs in China and would celebrate the festival here by organising different gatherings and programmes.
