MIRPUR (AJK) - Christian Welfare Trust of AJK Supreme Head Younis Bhatti Sunday reiterated his community's resolve to work for the speedy progress and prosperity of Pakistan and AJK.
He was addressing a congregation of local Christian community on Sunday. Prominent local Christian leaders including Bishop Dr Javed Akhtar, central president of the community Javed Gill, and other leaders including Tariq Bhatti, Imran James, Younis Bhatti, Javed Gill, Baboo Arshad, Priest Haroon Jamil also addressed the ceremony.
Younis Bhatti, also the executive member of National Council of Christian, said that minorities including Christian community in the country and AJK were enjoying full liberty to perform their religious rites and other obligations and enjoying an excellent life coupled with all benefits along with other fellow-countrymen.
He called for immediate establishment of a Christian Colony for homeless 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 the construction of both the projects in the district, the projects were being made the victim of traditional red tapism at the hands of the Revenue Department staff.
Bhatti said that the AJK prime minister had already laid the foundation stone of the Christian Colony in AJK for housing the shelter-less Christians. He also called for the simplification of the process for registration of Christian voters hailing from the state to enable the community to exercise their right to vote.
He continued that because of the liberal approach of the government and the people of Pakistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir, 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.
He declared that the Christian community would not hesitate to make sacrifices to make freedom movement a complete success. The minorities are bent upon to pay their due share for the achievement of Kashmiris' legitimate right to self determination, he added.