ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) organised a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year ceremony for Christian community. Priest Asif Riaz, Christian Counselor Ch. Rashid Farzand, Pakistan Minority Forum Chairman Ch. Ashraf Farzand, Pastor Saleem and a large number of Christians attended the ceremony.
Speaking at the occasion, ICCI acting President Khalid Malik said that Christian community was playing an important role in the economic development of the country which was laudable. He said government should ensure better protection of the rights of all minorities including Christians. He said government should also provide special incentives to the minority business communities so that they could make more useful contribution to strengthen the economy.
He said government and society should encourage such ceremonies as it would promote social harmony and national unity. He said many businessmen of Christian community were members of ICCI which showed that Chamber was working for promoting the interests of members of all communities. He assured that Chamber would play role for resolving the issues of Christian business community.
ICCI Vice President Tahir Ayub said that the teachings of Hazrat Isa have been guiding principles for Muslims of every age. He said Hazrat Isa always stressed on serving the humanity which was also golden principle of Islam. He said Christian community was playing useful role in every walk of life including economy, politics, law and other fields which was required to be fully acknowledged. He said ICCI would continue to organize such events so that along with promoting business activities, it could also play role in bringing all communities closer.
Speaking at the occasion, Priest Asif Riaz, Christian Counselor Ch. Rashad Farzand, Pakistan Minority Forum Chairman Ch. Ashraf Farzand, Pastor Saleem thanked ICCI for organizing Merry Christmas ceremony for their community and said that such ceremonies gave a new confidence to Christians to work more hard for the economic development of the country.
Zubair Ahmed Malik, former President FPCCI and ICCI, Naeem Siddiqui, Khalid Chaudhry, Ahmed Mughal, Sheraz Ahmed Siddiqui and many other members of ICCI were also present at the occasion. The ceremony was ended with cutting of Christmas cake.
