Christian leaders demand Easter honorarium

Christian priests, pastors and community leaders in Rawalpindi and Islamabad have demanded that the government announce an Easter honorarium for deserving Christian families.

They also called for timely payment of salaries and bonuses to Christian employees, financial assistance from Baitul Mal for deserving families, reduction in sentences of Christian prisoners and release on bail of those involved in minor offences so they can celebrate Easter with their families.

They further demanded a public holiday across the country on Easter and immediate reopening of the church at Adiala Jail.

These views were expressed by Minority Member of the National Assembly Naveed Jiva, Assistant Attorney General of Pakistan Nadeem Mughal, Sibt Bukhari, central leader Rashid Chauhan, Pastor Qaiser, Pastor Shakeel, Pastor Zahid, Sohail Roomi, Father Ilyas and Tariq Ghouri.

They said they would promote interfaith harmony on Easter and urged all Pakistanis to share in the joys of their Christian brethren. They stated that all minorities in Pakistan freely celebrate their religions, rituals and festivals.

The Christian community thanked the Federal Interior Minister, IG Islamabad, CPO Rawalpindi and district administration for effective security arrangements at churches during Sunday services and in connection with Easter.

They demanded that prisoners be allowed meetings and be permitted to receive food on Easter day. They said locking the church at Adiala Jail has hurt the Christian community and urged that prisoners be allowed to worship in accordance with the Constitution.