President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commended the Christian community for its “admirable services” and invaluable role in Pakistan’s development.
The president and the premier made the remarks in their separate messages issued on the occasion of Easter.
The Christian community across Pakistan is celebrating Easter with religious devotion and joy, marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Stephen John of The Fellowship United Pakistan Church in Islamabad told APP that Easter is the most important festival for Christians, as it reminds them that after every hardship, there is ease and a new start.
He said that churches begin special worship before 12am on Saturday, so that believers enter Sunday in a state of prayer and devotion.
In his message extending Easter greetings, President Zardari commended the Pakistani Christian community for its “continued role in national development, particularly in education, healthcare, national defence and social services”.
He said the day “carries a clear message of compassion, hope, renewal, rebirth, rejuvenation, redemption, and the triumph of life over death and good over evil”.
“In Pakistan, these values are not abstract. They are reflected in everyday life. Christian men and women serve in our schools, hospitals, public services and armed forces,” he highlighted.
The president noted that the Christian community’s “contribution is part of the normal functioning of our society, and it deserves recognition and respect”.
He recalled the “historic role played by S. P. Singha, the Christian Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, in the creation of Pakistan”, as well as the “heroic role of Cecil Chaudhry during the 1965 war”.
President Zardari cited Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s directives for a state “based on equality, freedom and security for all citizens, regardless of religion or ethnicity”, adding that the same were embedded in the Constitution.
“I reaffirm the state’s responsibility to ensure that all communities across Pakistan enjoy these rights in full. The government remains committed to protecting the life, property, honour and security of minority communities, and to supporting their welfare,” the president affirmed.
He further said: “On this occasion, I encourage all citizens to act with restraint, respect and a sense of responsibility towards one another. A stable and strong society depends on how we treat each other in daily life, in our workplaces, in our neighbourhoods and in our institutions.”
Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz also extended his heartfelt greetings to Christians around the world and in Pakistan.
“I also extend my best wishes of traditional festivities of Easter to all citizens,” he said in a statement.
The premier highlighted: “The Christian community of Pakistan is rendering commendable and admirable services across all professional fields and continues to play an active and invaluable role in the country’s economic and social development.”
He observed that in today’s “tenacious global environment, message of peace, ebbed in all religions, has become ever more significant”.
“Easter, like all religious occasions, carries a universal message of love and renewed hope for all humanity,” he said.
PM Shehbaz affirmed that “ensuring the protection of the religious, economic, and educational rights of all citizens, especially minorities, remains a key priority of the government”.
Noting that religious harmony and a multicultural society reflected “our diversity as a nation”, the premier stressed that “sincere efforts of all segments of society are essential for national unity and for achieving the goal of a welfare state”.
“Let us renew our pledge that with national unity, dedication and sincerity, we as nation would continue to tirelessly work towards the progress and prosperity of our beloved country,” he concluded.
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