Staff Reporter
The Peace Center Lahore and URI Pakistan jointly organizd a beautiful program to celebrate interfaith Christmas on Monday at peace center at Pak Arab society.
Punjab Minister HR&MA Ijaz Alam Augustine presided over the event while Special Representative to Prime Minister on Religious Harmony Maulana Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi was the chief guest on the occasion. Several Bishops, Pastors, political leaders belonging to PTI, religious leaders from different faith and promoters of interfaith harmony were also part of the ceremony.
After interfaith prayers, Fr. James Channan OP welcomed all the guests and wished them a very warm and blessed Christmas. He said: “Jesus Christ born and gave the message of peace and love to the whole world. He is the Prince of Peace and we are following His teachings.” On the other occasion, SAPM on Religious Harmony Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi wished happy Christmas to entire Christian community and said that the government has taken all possible steps to ensure that the pandemic did not spread during the Christmas gatherings while Christian community has assured adherence to SOPs during the Christmas holidays.
He urged all sections of the society to play their role for making Pakistan a peaceful and prosperous country. He said that minorities living in Pakistan are enjoying complete religious freedom as all their rights have been laid down in the country’s laws and Constitution, adding that no one could snatch these rights from them. In His address, Punjab Minister Ijaz Alam Augustine wished all the guests and the community a very blessed Christmas. He also congratulated to Fr. James Channan OP and team for organizing such a beautiful program and inviting such an energetic audience. Ijaz Alam Augustine said that there is no doubt that since the PTI government came to power, religious minorities celebrated their festivals at the official level with complete freedom. He pointed out that for first time in Pakistan’s history, the Prime Minister, the Punjab chief minister and the Governor attended all festivals to show solidarity with religious minorities. Ms Aneela Dogar arranged different gifts to give to the children and to wish them Merry Christmas by the honorable guests. Dominican Brothers sung Christmas Carrols beautifully. All the dignitaries cut a cake while in media talk Minister Ijaz Alam and Tahir Ashrafi briefed the media that Interfaith Harmony Councils are being set up in the country in phased manner. These councils would play an effective role at the grassroots level for increasing harmonious relationship between members of different religious groups.
Khateeb Badshahi Mosque Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, Maulana Pir Shafaat Rasool, Allama Zubair Hamid, Hafiz Noman Hamid, Sohail Ahmad Raza, Mufti Ashiq Hussain, Prof. Mahmood Ghaznavi, Pastor Dr. Majeed Able, Pastor Sajid Meraj, Allama Dr. Badr Munir. Maulana Asim Makhdoom, Reverend Shahid Meraj, Father Patrick Peter OP, Miss Shabnam Nagy, Miss Anila Dogar, Dr Munawar Chand, Allama Arif Asghar Chishti, Dr. Kanwal Feroze, Dr. Saada Umar and Father Tafeeq Younis also attended the ceremony.
