ABBOTTABAD: A Christmas ceremony for Christian children held in a mosque in Abbottabad in which the Muslim students of the madrassa presented school bags and Christmas gifts to the Christian children.

The ceremony was arranged by the students of Madani Jamia Masjid and Madrasah Tartil-ul-Qur’an with the support of the Rahmat Lal Alamin Authority. Muslim scholars and students sprinkled flowers on the arrival of Christian children and fathers and welcomed them. Speaking at the ceremony, Rahmat Lal Alamin Authority Chairman Khurshid Ahmed Nadeem said that there are many commonalities between Muslims and Christians.
 
Imam of the mosque and well-known religious scholar Maulana Syed Akbar Ali Shah, Christian leader Zakir Paul Advocate, Director General of Rahmat Lal Alamin Authority Zafar Mahmood Malik, Pastor Peter Gill, Pastor Paul Masih, Pastor Cristofer, Pastor Aslam Masih, Pastor Nasir William and the organizer of the ceremony Sabookh Syed and other speakers also addressed.

The speakers said that people of other religions, including Christians, have rendered services and sacrifices from the establishment of Pakistan to the stability of Pakistan, which should be included in the curriculum.

The Christian leaders said that for the first time in Pakistan, this ceremony is being held in the confines of a mosque for the second time, from which they have been encouraged and happy.

In the ceremony, Muslim and Christian children recited the Holy Quran and the Bible and celebrated the birth ceremony of Hazrat Eisa (AS). The children delivered speeches for the promotion of Muslim-Christian ties. In the end, the Muslim children served food to the Christian children and presented them with school bags and Christmas gifts.