ISLAMABAD - Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari said on Sunday that the government was working to develop holy sites of Buddhism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Punjab and Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) to attract Buddhist pilgrims from across the world.

Addressing the ceremony of ‘Welcome Christians Season,’ he said that the PTI government’s initiative to open trail for foreign pilgrims would open new corridors of religious tourism under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and as per the principles of Riyasat-e-Medina. He said the PM had announced to build a new church in sector G-8/1 of the federal capital.

Speaking on the occasion, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Capital Development Authority (CDA) Ali Nawaz Awan said that efforts were underway to resolve the problems being faced by the people of the capital city.

He further said that the Federal Cabinet Division had approved the draft bill titled ‘Christian Marriage and Divorce Act, 2019’ to make changes in more than a century-old Christian Divorce Act, 1869 and Christian Marriage Act 1872.

He said that the quota system for minorities was restored and would be implemented in true letter and spirit.

Awan said that PTI believed in making collective efforts to provide maximum facilities to the people of capital city.

He said that the issues of gas, water and electricity shortages were not restricted to the katchi abadies only. “Instead the problems are being faced by almost the entire population of the capital,” he added. He said that new projects would be initiated for resolving the water-related issues.

Parliamentary Secretary Rashid Shafiq, MNA Jamshed Thamas, MNA Shanela Ruth, Simon Roshan Sahuthra also spoke on the occasion. PTI Islamabad President, MNA Faridur Rehman and a large number of members of the Christian community also attended the function.