NOT TO BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST AND TELECAST
BEFORE THE MORNING OF 25TH DECEMBER, 2017.
MESSAGE FROM MR. SHAHID KHAQAN ABBASI,
PRIME MINISTER OF THE ISLAMIC
REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN ON THE OCCASION OF CHRISTMAS, 2017
Islamabad: December
24, 2017
I
extend my warmest greetings to all our Christian brethren on the occasion of
Christmas. Much more than festivity and celebration, the spirit of Christmas is
to share, to reach out, and to love all humanity.
Jesus Christ brought and preached the message of peace, brotherhood and love
for the whole humanity. He guided people towards virtuous living and urged them
to seek divine mercy. As a Divine Messenger, Jesus Christ is venerable to
adherents of all religions.
On this auspicious occasion, I wish to commend and appreciate the sincere
efforts of our Christian community for the socioeconomic development of their
motherland. I also take this opportunity to pay the highest tribute to the
sacrifices made by our Christian brethren in Pakistan’s fight against
terrorism.
The Government of Pakistan holds sacrosanct the equality and freedom of
conscience of all citizens irrespective of belief, creed or religion. Our
commitment to this fundamental principle is firmly grounded in the teachings of
Islam, the vision of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the inviolable guarantees
of our Constitution. We are committed to building a society that respects
difference and finds strength in diversity; a nation that is tolerant and
cohesive; and a state that provides equal rights and opportunities to all
citizens.
We are proud of our Christian brethren; they are an integral part of our multicultural polity; and I am confident that their patriotic contributions will continue to accelerate the pace of Pakistan’s progress.
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NOT TO BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST AND TELECAST BEFORE
THE MORNING OF 25TH DECEMBER, 2017
