Minorities have complete religious freedom, says CM

Lauds commitment of Christian community to the motherland

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that Pakistan belongs to every citizen and the minorities have equal rights and complete religious freedom in the country.

The chief minister cut the Christmas cake and felicitated the Christian community at a ceremony held on Saturday.

He said on the occasion that such festivals promoted religious harmony as the nation equally shared the joys and happiness of each occasion.

He lauded the services rendered by the Christian community, its love for the country and commitment with the motherland.

Provincial Ministers Ejaz Alam, Sardar Husnain Bahadur and Hafiz Mumtaz Ahmed, Punjab government spokesperson Hasaan Khawar, MPAs Mahendra Pal Singh, Syed Iftikhar Gilani, Haroon Gill, Bishop Azad Marshall, Archbishop Sebastian Francis, Dr Majid Abe, Head of Salvation Army Lahore, Chairperson Minority Advisory Council Punjab Jacqueline Tressler, Vice Chairman Robinson Aziz Frances, Bishop Wilson John Gill and several officials were present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, Punjab government spokesperson Hasaan Khawar said while talking to the media after a cake cutting ceremony held to mark Quaid-i-Azam Day at Lahore Museum and viewing a photo exhibition organised by girl students that the PTI was ensuring equality before the law for all in the fight against corruption.

He said progress and prosperity of the country could only be ensured by giving priority to national development over personal interests. He said that the life of politics of self-interest was very short but ideological politics lasted for generations.

He said that in the present circumstances, the PTI was the only political force of the country that had remained focused on the ideology of development and progress of Pakistan, fight against corruption and strengthening democracy since its foundation.

He said the exhibition reflected diversity and women empowerment and those were the qualities which would make Pakistan successful in the future. The spokesperson stressed the need to maintain unity and holding the national interest supreme. He said a handful antisocial elements could not spread chaos in the country.

According to an official announcement, Chief Minister Buzdar sought a report from the inspector general of police about an incident of aerial firing in Pattoki.