Rahim Yar Khan (Pakistan Christian News):
A meeting of Christian community leaders was held in Rahim Yar Khan to discuss the pressing issues faced by Christians across Punjab. The participants expressed serious concerns over multiple challenges affecting the community and called for immediate government intervention.
The meeting was attended by prominent social leader Salman Mansi, member of the Peace and Harmony Committee Ilyas Robin Gill, along with other representatives of the Christian community.
During the discussion, participants highlighted that the lack of boundary walls around Christian graveyards has led to an increase in incidents of desecration. They emphasized that this issue requires urgent attention to ensure the sanctity and protection of burial places.
The leaders also raised concerns about restrictions on church registration, stating that such limitations are negatively impacting the administrative and legal functioning of places of worship.
Furthermore, it was pointed out that pastors are not being issued official marriage licenses, which is creating legal difficulties for religious leaders and community members. The participants also noted that rural Christian communities are often deprived of government aid checks during major religious occasions such as Easter and Christmas.
Another key demand raised during the meeting was related to minority representation in the local government system. The participants urged the government to allow minority candidates to contest directly for general councilor seats in local body elections. They argued that the current system of nomination on reserved seats limits genuine representation and deprives the community of the right to elect their own representatives through a democratic process.
The meeting concluded with a strong appeal to the government to address these issues on an urgent basis, enabling the Christian community to play a more effective role in the development of Punjab.
