ISLAMABAD: Christian community across Pakistan, like other parts of the world, celebrated the grand festival of Christmas on Saturday with great zeal and enthusiasm.

The Christian community celebrated this festival by organizing different activities ranging from official gatherings to cake cutting ceremonies. Special prayers were held in Churches across the country where the Christian community prayed for peace, progress and prosperity of Pakistan.

The main attractions of the Christmas festival including the traditions like Christmas Tree, Santa Clause, Carols and Christmas gifts added charm to the festivity. All young and old took keen interest in decorating Christmas tree and buying Christmas gifts to show their love to their family and friends and celebrated the occasion through distributing gifts among children, singing hymns, prayers and arranging family gatherings.

The Christian communities decorated their residential colonies with lightings, displayed stalls carrying different attractions like Santa Claus outfit, toys, Christmas tree etc. to attract the children. President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan in their separate messages, while congratulating the Christian community on the occasion of Christmas, have assured that the government will continue to safeguard rights and privileges of all minorities living in the country.

They also commended sincere and invaluable services rendered by Christian community in the fields of defense, education, health as well as economic development of the country. They said that the government will empower the minorities to use their abilities for national development.

On the other hand, CJCSC and Services Chiefs extend felicitations to Christian community in Armed Forces and across Pakistan on Christmas. ISPR, in a tweet, said that from the creation of Pakistan to date their sacrifices and contributions in service of Pakistan are phenomenal.