Islamabad: Hundreds of Pakistani Christians took part in a Christmas rally in the capital, Islamabad, as men dressed as Santa Claus rode camels along the streets, chanting Christmas greetings to celebrate the holiday season."December has started, and we are enjoying our Christmas celebrations. This is why we have started this rally, to praise our Lord and celebrate His coming," said Shafiqui Saleem, a Pakistani Christian.The rally began from Zero Point, a major road junction in the capital. Police officials were deployed to manage the traffic and ensure safety during the event. Another Pakistani Christian, Arsalan Masih, thanked the Pakistani government, the Army and the police for supporting the gathering. "My heart is filled with gratitude. We are very thankful to the government of Pakistan, the Army, the police, and everyone for supporting us during our event, especially the event for minority communities," he said. Christians are a significant minority in the South Asian country, making up less than 1.37 per cent of the population, according to the 2023 census by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Saleem also expressed appreciation for the support the minority community receives in Islamabad."Despite being a minority, we have never faced any obstacles here in Islamabad. You can see that today, we were granted permission to hold this rally from Zero Point, and the authorities are managing the traffic and supporting us. It is wonderful that, despite being a minority, we are receiving a lot of support," he said.
Be the first to comment