PESHAWAR: The city’s Christian community began Christmas celebrations with visible cheer and good-natured festivities.
Christmas trees were decorated, while colourful lights were also on display at a Christmas event organised at the Sheraz Arena on Tuesday.
Hundreds of families dressed in colourful attire gathered at the venue. Fortunately, there were no reports of any untoward incident.
Minister for Culture and Information, Mian Iftikhar Husain, Minister of Auqaf and Religious Affairs Namroz Khan, and Minister for Tourism, Museums and Sports Aqil Shah also attended the celebrations to express the government’s support for minorities.
Assemblies of God Church (Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa)Chairman Dr AR Hashmat said the month of Christmas advocates peace and harmony between people of all faiths. Special prayers were offered by the community for the progress, peace and development of the country.
Hashmat told the congregation about the church’s performance regarding educational institutions and welfare projects aimed at providing a better standard of living for Christians in Peshawar.
During the event, Christian community member Robin Bhatti sang different religious songs which were greatly appreciated by the audience. Young singers including Yarb Khan joined in to aid Bhatti, while different skits were also performed.
However, not all Christians have decided to celebrate the occasion with the same fervour. Some avoid outdoor activities and prefer smaller gatherings citing the sensitive law and order situation.
“We will offer special prayers and sympathise with those who lost their loved ones in terrorist attacks,” said Arshad Masih. “As a Christian, I enjoy all the freedom offered to religious minorities under the law.”
He said that Christians are not particularly vulnerable to threats or singled out.
Younatan Younas said that the event at Sheraz Arena is arranged on the eve of Christmas every year and is the only one where the entire Christian community from the city comes together.
He said several Muslim families were also present at the occasion, adding that they had been invited to the event.
Mian Iftikhar Hussain cut the Christmas cake along with members of the community and pledged full support to ensure continued religious freedom.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2012.
COMMENTS (3)
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Hello Abu Uzhur ,
Knowing what the minorities face , who can disagree with you ?
All that you have mentioned is the absolute negative picture of real life for the * others* in our midst.
X-mas is a time for harmony , peace and communal understanding.
I am , indeed impressed that in PESHAWAR , the region of ultras , reasonable folk have thought it appropriate to celebrate this event.
Better to sing hymns than to walk around in a light explosives-packed waistcoat !!!!
The SEASON'S Greetings to you, Sir.
@ Dear Ahmed41:
I am not impressed-------by these hollow cosmetics , tokenisms . What we need is very simple: Where are our leaders, the governments , the police, the courts, the custodians of law and order when churches are burnt , when Ahmadi worship places are desecrated, when minorities are butchered, when their homes are torched, when their businesses are plundered, when their women are desecrated, when thousands of us spew poison against them openly in public meetings, when they are declared wajib-ul-qatl without let or hinderance ? We have , by our cosistent conduct , established that crimes against minorities are no crimes . Dear Ahmad, do you know anyone who was ever apprehended/punished for these heinous crimes happening as a daily routine in our beloved country ?
I am impressed.