Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi, cabinet members and senior officials attended the prayer ceremony and cut a Christmas cake together with members of the Christian community at Sacred Heart Cathedral Church on monday. Archbishop of Lahore Sebastian Francis Shaw presented flowers to CM and led the prayer.
Addressing the ceremony, the CM extended Christmas greetings to the Christian community, emphasizing unity with them in the joyous celebrations, stating that the more the Jaranwala incident is condemned, the less it would be. He declared that the government would not sit idle till the last accused did not receive his due punishment. Immediate relief was provided to the affected households in Jaranwala, and financial assistance was extended to the owners of the burnt houses, he maintained. In an effort to prevent such incidents in the future, meesaq centers have been established throughout Punjab. Similarly, a provincial cabinet meeting was also held in a church in Jaranwala to express solidarity with the Christian community, approve measures for the relief of Jaranwala and devise a future action plan, he added.
Following the Jaranwala incident, Muslims opened the doors of mosques to their Christian brethren. A message was conveyed to the Christian community, welcoming them to worship in mosques. The act of opening mosque doors to Christian brethren received widespread acceptance in national and international media; the CM said and mentioned the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had taught about treating minority communities with kindness. He also recalled the words of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah regarding the protection of the rights of minorities. Islam teaches equal treatment of minority communities, and Muslims, Christians, and other minorities are all equal in Pakistan, he added.
The chief minister further stated that Pakistan’s flag is incomplete without minorities; the white color in the flag represents minorities, while the green represents Muslims. Acknowledging the services rendered by the Christian community in the field of education, he highlighted the achievements of Sacred Heart, Convent, and other educational institutions. Meanwhile, the government was ensuring the implementation of minority quotas in employment, admissions, and other designated areas. Mr Naqvi concluded his address by extending Christmas greetings to the Christian community and expressing joy in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
The ceremony was also addressed by the auqaf minister, IG police, Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, and Archbishop of Lahore Sebastian Francis Shaw. CCPO Lahore, secretaries of human rights, auqaf & information depts., commissioner & DC Lahore, religious scholars and Christian community leaders also attended the ceremony.
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