Holiday spirit: Xmas cheer continues well into second day

Directorate of Culture throws a party at services club for Christians

PESHAWAR: A colourful event was arranged at Peshawar Services Club on Saturday to celebrate Christmas. The Directorate of Culture and All Christian Volunteers organised the party where children and youth celebrated the joyous occasion.

Officials of the directorate joined hands with prominent Christians to cut a Christmas cake and inaugurated food stalls which offered a variety of traditional foods and beverages for the guests. The kids play area also offered delicious food, while goods with unique embroidery were on display to add to the aesthetic value of the celebrations. Talking to reporters, Sports, Tourism, Culture, Archaeology, Museums and Youth Affairs Additional Secretary Muhammad Tariq said the government believed in the rights of minorities and their protection. He said that was why various religious festivals were being organised.

He reminded journalists that authorities also held events for the Hindu religious festival of Diwali, the Sikh festival of Baba Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary and now Christmas.

Christians asked the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government, especially officials of the culture department, to work towards the promotion of interfaith and religious harmony among followers of various religions. Prayers were also offered for the progress and prosperity of the nation.

Xmas in Haripur

Christmas celebrations continued for the second consecutive day across Hazara on Saturday.

Unlike 2014 when the devastating APS massacre dampened the Christmas spirit, the community celebrated with music and new clothes.

Priests pledged their loyalty to Pakistan and offered special prayers for peace, interfaith harmony and brotherhood in the country. “During our services, we paid special tribute to the Pakistan Army and thanked them for Operation Zarb-e-Azb which allowed us to celebrate Christmas without fear,” said Dr Irfan Nasir. He is a member of the Saint John’s Church committee. He told The Express Tribune that holiday celebrations would continue till January 1, 2016.

Belonging to the Catholic, Evangelical and Protestant sects, the Christian community held special services at Saint Luke’s Church in Abbottabad, Catholic Church in Abbottabad, United Presbyterian Church in Abbottabad, Evangelical Church in Qalandar Abad, Saint John’s Church in Haripur and the Church of Pakistan in Ghazi tehsil.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27^th, 2015.