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Christians back

Kashmir struggle,

says Cyprian

LAHORE: The Federal Minister for Minorities, Culture and Sports, Derrick Cyprian on Sunday asked the Christian community in Pakistan to pray for the success of Kashmiri struggling for the liberation of the occupied valley from India.

"Christian community of Pakistan fully supports the freedom struggle of the Kashmiris Muslims and wants International Community to save them from the inhuman and brutal treatment being meted out by the Indian forces," he said while speaking at a service at St. Mary's Church here.

Biship of Multan, Dr. Andrew Francis, led the service. Cyprian said the Christian community was the one that opted for Pakistan at the time of partition while Hindus and Sikhs of this area chose to migrate to India.

He said this showed the loyalty and love for the community with their native land.

Cyprian said that the Christians were contributing to the development and uplift of the country in a number of ways and added that government was fully aware of their contributions.

He said that government would make every effort to amellorate the lot of poorer sections of the society.

The country, he said, was passing through a critical juncture of history and the time warranted exemplary unity, faith and discpline by the Christian community.

The church service was attended among others by Fr. Hupport, Fr. Abid Habib. Fr. Saleem Anjum, Fr. Nadeem Francis, Fr. Rehmat Raja, Fr. Benjamin, Fr. Ruffian Emmanuel, Fr. Nadeem John Shakir, Fr. Yaqub Khushi and Fr. Danial.

During the service, Dr. Andrew Francis was conferred the epithed of 'New Herdsman of the New Millennium.'ÑAPP