‘Observe Feb 14 as Babar’s birthday, not Valentine’s Day’

ISLAMABAD - Feb 14 should be observed as the birthday of Mughal emperor Babar and not as Valentine’s Day, a Pakistani group said Saturday.

“We must know that Feb 14 is the 527th birthday of Mirza Zahirudin Babar, a descendant of Tamerlane on his father’s side and of Genghis Khan on his mother’s, Baig Raj, the president of The Great Mughal Memorial Society (GMMS) said in a statement.

It is unfortunate that a good majority of people aren’t aware of the facts and they consider that Valentine’s Day is the only important occasion falling on February 14, Raj added.

Today, we need rulers like Babar who used to disguise himself as a labourer and roam among his subjects to get first-hand information for improving governance and enhance the quality of life of the people, Raj said.

Special prayers and recitations from the Quran would be held on Sunday, while week-long celebrations would be held next year on Babar’s birth anniversary, he added.