Altaf Hamid Rao
MIRPUR (AJK): The Supreme Head of Christian Welfare Trust of AJK Younis Bhatti here Sunday reiterated his community’s resolve by declaring that the minorities in Pakistan including Azad Jammu Kashmir will not lag behind to serve for the speedy progress and prosperity of the country including AJK side by side their fellow countrymen belonging to the majority community.
He was addressing a congregation of local Christian community here on Sunday. Prominent local Christian leaders including Bishop Dr. Javed Akhter, central president of the community Javed Gill, and other leaders including Tariq Bhatti, Imran James, Younis Bhati, Javed Gill, Baboo Arshad, Priest Haroon Jamil a;sp addressed the ceremony.
Younis Bhatti, also the Executive Member of National Council of Christian said that minorities including Christian community in the country including AJK were enjoying full liberty to perform their religious rites and other obligations – since they were enjoying an excellent life coupled with all benefits along with other fellow-countrymen.
Bhatti called for immediate establishment of a Christian Colony for homeless local Christians besides the reservation of site for the establishment of grand Church in Mirpur district. He said that although the AJK government has accorded approval for construction of both the projects in this district – but both the much-need projects were being made the victim of traditional red tapism at the hands of the concerned lower revenue department staff most particularly the ‘patwaris’, he blamed.
Bhatti said that the AJK Prime Minister has already laid the foundation stone of a Christian colony in AJK for housing the shelter less state subject Christians of AJK. He also called for the simplification of the process for registration of eligible state-subject Christian voters hailing from the state to enable the community to exercise their right of vote in the coming AJK Assembly elections.
Younis Bhatti continued that because of the liberal approach of the government and the people of Pakistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir, the soil of motherland – Pakistan and AJK are the paradise for the minority communities where there was complete sovereignty and freedom to them to perform their religious and other due obligations.
