On the joyous occasion of Christmas, President Asif Ali Zardari extended his warm greetings and sincere wishes to Christian citizens of Pakistan and to Christian communities around the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cChristmas is a time of hope, peace and compassion. The message of love and service to humanity that this season brings reminds us of the deep bonds that unite all people,\u201d the President said.<\/p>\n
He recalled the vision of the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who articulated a Pakistan rooted in freedom and equality for all. In his historic address to the first Constituent Assembly on 11 August 1947, Jinnah said: \u201cYou are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion, caste or creed \u2014 that has nothing to do with the business of the State.\u201d The President noted that these words remain a powerful affirmation of the nation\u2019s commitment to religious freedom and mutual respect among all citizens.<\/p>\n
Christian citizens of Pakistan, he said, have made important contributions to society in politics, national defence, education, literature, arts, music, health care, social welfare and public service. \u201cTheir efforts strengthen our shared progress and enrich our national life,\u201d the President added.<\/p>\n
President Zardari also paid tribute to historical figures on this day, remembering S. P. Singha, the Speaker of Punjab Legislative Assembly, who cast his crucial vote to join Pakistan. He also honoured war hero Cecil Chaudhry, who in the 1965 war miraculously destroyed Indian aircraft, ammunition, and fuel depots in the most dangerous mission and returned with his badly damaged aircraft after completing the mission.<\/p>\n
Highlighting Pakistan\u2019s constitutional guarantees, the President reaffirmed the country\u2019s commitment to equal rights and freedom of religion for every citizen. \u201cWe remain committed to fostering harmony, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence among all communities. Our diversity is a source of strength and should inspire greater unity, understanding and cooperation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
On this blessed occasion, President Zardari wished the Christian community a Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with peace, health, and prosperity. He expressed hope that the spirit of Christmas would inspire all citizens to uphold compassion and justice and work together for the welfare of the nation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
On the joyous occasion of Christmas, President Asif Ali Zardari extended his warm greetings and sincere wishes to Christian citizens of Pakistan and to Christian communities around the world. \u201cChristmas is a time of hope, peace and compassion. The message of love and service to humanity that this season brings reminds us of the deep […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":59278,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,16],"tags":[103],"ppma_author":[213],"class_list":{"0":"post-69953","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-latest","8":"category-pakistan","9":"tag-top-stories"},"yoast_head":"\n