rki.news
Altaf Hamid Rao

MIRPUR (AJK): April 5 – The Christian community across Azad Jammu Kashmir, particularly in Mirpur district, celebrated Easter Sunday with traditional religious zeal and fervor. Special prayer services were held in residential areas with significant Christian populations, including Mangla town, where the community predominantly resides.
During the services, the faithful offered prayers for salvation, the progress and prosperity of Pakistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir, and the early success of the Kashmir freedom movement. Participants also prayed for the solidarity, integrity, and prosperity of Pakistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan, along with the liberation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir.
The events in Mirpur included gatherings at the District Council Hall in Mangla Chitterpari, on the outskirts of the city, attended by community leaders such as Reverend Haroon Ajmal, Javeid Gill, Younis Bhatti, Father Loyaish Rakaash, Baboo Arshad Nazim, Patris Maseeh, and the Supreme Head of the Mirpur Christian Foundation. Speakers highlighted the historical and spiritual significance of Easter, emphasizing the day as a time for devotion, community welfare, and upholding religious obligations, while also ensuring the younger generation is educated about their religious heritage.
Christian leaders underlined that minority communities in Pakistan, including AJK-based Christians, enjoy full religious freedoms comparable to the majority Muslim population. They stressed that minorities actively contribute to the country’s progress and prosperity alongside their fellow citizens, maintaining peace, harmony, and unity.
The Easter services also reaffirmed the community’s commitment to social responsibility, national development, and collective welfare. Leaders noted that Christians in AJK live in a supportive environment, enjoying all benefits of citizenship while observing their faith freely. These celebrations not only marked the sanctity of Easter but also reinforced dedication to religious duties, social welfare, and the country’s overall well-being, reflecting a spirit of unity, peace, and shared prosperity across Azad Jammu Kashmir.