Inter-faith harmony: Christians to pray for peace and solidarity in AJK

MIRPUR:

Christmas will be celebrated in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) today with special prayer services at the district council hall on December 25, to renew the pledge to spread Jesus Christ’s message of love and peace among people, since there is not a single church in the whole state.

Chief of Christian Welfare Trust, AJK, Younas Bhatti said preparations for Christmas have been given final touches. He said there had never been any dispute or clash between Muslims and Christians, since they ensure mutual respect and they do not interfere in each other’s affairs. Bhatti said Christmas festivities comprise Christians will offer special prayers for the solidarity and progress of Pakistan and pledge their services for the country’s prosperity. Special gifts will be distributed among children and social workers on Christmas. In Mirpur, Christmas celebrations began after an inaugural ceremony at the council hall, on Thursday evening.

Replying to a question, Bhatti said although the government has reserved 100 kanals of land for the construction of a church in Mirpur, as requested by the local Christian community, they had still not been allotted land at Dhairi Rustam, in the city’s periphery. The church, if constructed, would be the first of its kind in AJK, he pointed out. One of the main reasons that Christians do not have a church in AJK is that there are very few of them living there and immigrants cannot erect buildings in the state. He said there was complete freedom for minorities including Christians and communal harmony was an unbroken tradition in AJK. “Because of the liberal approach of the government and the people of Pakistan and AJK, the motherland is a paradise for Christians.” Speaking to this correspondent, chairman of his own faction of Azad Jammu Kashmir Christian Welfare Society, Salik M Gill said Christians would not hesitate to offer sacrifices for the Kashmir freedom movement.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2011.