Amid tight security, Christian community on Tuesday celebrated Christmas, an event of peace and happiness with religious zeal and enthusiasm in different settled parts as well as tribal regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Christians started their day with ceremonies in churches amid beefed up security and prayed for country's sovereignty and prosperity. People have decorated their homes and religious places with lights. Special Christmas trees are prepared for the occasion.
Security has been ramped up at churches across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Police contingents have been deployed to protect churchgoers over Christmas. People have decorated their homes and religious places with lights.
Special services held at illuminated churches where members of Christian community offered for the progress and prosperity of the country. Residential colonies were decorated with twinkling lights and stars, and baubles such as bells, pine cones, apples, candies, tinsel and balloons bedecked trees, streets, houses and churches.
In Peshawar, all churches and cathedrals as well as All Saints Church in the Kohati area were decorated and well-illuminated since Monday and religious services continued till late night. Hundreds of families visited churches for the morning service on Tuesday after which they exchanged greetings and headed home.
Obaidur Rehman Manager Bacha Khan International Airport Peshawar (BKIA) Tuesday at a special ceremony distributed cakes and other gifts among the Christians employees of the Airport on the happy occasion of Christmas. Addressing the ceremony the Airport Manager congratulated the Christians community on the Christmas celebrations and prayed Allah Almighty to give us strength and determination to play key role in the development of the country. The services of the minorities in the uplift of the country was not a hidden fact he said adding the minorities were given due share rights in the appointments being made in the government departments. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) was also providing all rights to the minorities.
Speaking a function on the eve of Christmas celebration here at Christians colony on Tuesday, Special Assistant to Chief Minster for Science Technology and Information Technology (ST&IT) Kamran Bangash has said that minorities were enjoying full freedom in Pakistan and were free to perform their religious rituals without any fear. He said the entire nation was with the Christian community in celebrating the auspicious occasion of Christmas. He on this occasion cut the Christmas cake and congratulated them on Christmas celebration. He maintained that interfaith harmony among various schools of thought was intact in the country. Our religion Islam also propagated religious freedom to the minorities and laid great stress on protection of the rights of the minorities.