Comprehensive security and administrative arrangements would be made by the district administration in connection with the celebration of Christmas in a peaceful manner. This was stated by DCO Naseem Sadiq while presiding over a joint meeting of district core committee and Christian representatives here on Saturday at his office committee room.
He assured that the similar security measures would be taken for the protection of churches as made for the Muharram-ul-Haraam. He informed that necessary instructions have been issued to the concerned departments for the cleanliness of surroundings of the churches and the Christian localities. He said that special arrangements would also be made in the public parks and picnic points for the interest and the facility of the Christian community on the eve of X Mass.
The DCO informed that planning is also being finalised to hold X Mass sustay bazaars in the district for providing the essential commodities to the Christian community on the specially reduced prices under the directions of CM Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif. He urged upon the ulema and religious leaders to maintain inter-faith harmony and play their vital role for the peaceful observance of Christmas so that complete solidarity could be expressed with the Christian brethren.
He thanked the ulema and other segments of the society for their full co-operation during the Ashra Muharram. MPA Juel Amir Sahutra appreciated the good sentiments of participants in the meeting regarding Muslim-Christian unity and lauded the welfare policies of CM Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif for the Christian community. He said that holding of X Mass sustay bazaars is a revolutionary step of the present Punjab govt. He pointed out submissions regarding cleanliness and security of the worship places of Christian community.
SP Sadiq Dogar, DOC Chaudhry Munir, SAO Khalid Manzur, members of core committee Maulana Muhammad Yousaf Anwar, Mufti Zia Madni, Haji Sh. Bashir Ahmad, Sahibzada Zahid Mehmud Qasmir, Pir Ibrahim, Mehmud Alam Jatt, Pir Fazal-e-Haq, Qari Afzal Qadri, Maulana Raiz Kharal, Sahibzada Arif Hussain Bukhari, Syed Tajammal Hussain, Qari Hanif Bhatti, Christian representative Father Khalid Bashir, Father Nisar Barkat, Pauster Emric Jouzef, Father Jon Murad, Father Iftikhar Moon, Father Khalid Rasheed, Father James Bahader, Father Parvez Bhatti and others attended the meeting.