Ch Shujaat Hussain cuts the X-mess cake with the American Ambassador

Islamabad: President of Pakistan Muslim League Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Tuesday said that his party was committed to promote dialogue and interfaith harmony between the followers of different faiths and it would continue to promote interfaith harmony in the country.

Addressing the participants of a function held here at the PML House to mark the celebrations of Christmas,Ch Shujaat conveyed his heartfelt felicitations to the Christian community on the eve of Christmas.He said that the PML was the only party which always celebrates the religious festivities of the minorities.He said that Quaid-e-Azam had underscored the need to remove all sorts of differences among all civilians.He said the PML strongly believed that all citizens of the country were only Pakistanis and there was no identity of all other than Pakistani.He said that he personally believed that the word of minority should be used rarely and every citizen should be known as Pakistani as all were equal before the law.
PML-Q secretary-general Mushahid Hussain Syed said that the PML was the only political outfit of the country which observes celebrations of Christmas and Easter every year. He said that no one could become a Muslim without accepting the prophet-hood of Hazrat Essa (Alehy Salam). He said this was Quaid-e-Azam’s vision that all citizens were equal before the law. He said that the PML government had introduced joint electorate in year 2002 while reserved seats were also allocated for minorities in the assemblies and the Senate. He said that the incumbent government had increased the reserved seats for minorities which was a major step for empowerment of the minorities.

“We believe in giving equal rights to minorities, women and youth segments in all spheres of life. We are also indebted to the minorities for polling record number of votes in previous elections for the PML and we hope that they will again vote for us in the upcoming polls,” he added.

He said that the PML will create a progressive and prosperous Pakistan in which people from all faiths would prosper equally.”We will continue to promote, protect and preserve the rights of the people of all minorities,” he maintained. State Minister for Interfaith Harmony Akram Masih Gill said that the PML was taking along the Quaid’s vision about minorities and his party’s previous government had ensured equal rights to the minorities. “Ch Parvez Elahi, as Chief Minister Punjab, had handed over 47 institutions to the Christian community in the province of Punjab during the PML’s previous government. My party’s government had also provided 5 percent job quota for minorities which was implemented in letter and spirit”.

He said that minorities’ reserved seats were also being increased. He announced that cheques would also be distributed among the Christian citizens amounting to Rs 25 lakh for deserving people. Singers performed special religious songs during the event whilebishops read out verses from Bible. Following its traditions, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid held a colourful ceremony to observe the Christmas celebrations here which was largely attended by ambassadors, religious scholars, Ulema, Mashaikh and politicians.

It was a unique occasion as the ambassadors of China, United States, Sudan, Palestine, Egypt, Japan, Nepal, Korea and Ukraine attended the celebrations while deputy heads of missions of India, UK, Belgium, Spain, Belgium and other friendly states also attended. Besides, thousands of members of the Christian community along with their children attended the function which was made historic as a group of female singers sang religious songs while Santa Clauses kept distributing sweets and gifts among the VIPs and the guests. Later, the political and diplomatic leaders cut cakes to mark the Christmas celebrations.