By John Abdalla —
Santa came to Pakistan this Christmas, and who cares that he rode on camels instead of his usual sleigh with reindeer.
He came to PAKISTAN without fear.
For the first time in its 78 year history, the only nation in the world to be founded on an Islamic Constitution celebrated Christmas officially in 2025.
In a coordinated display of the government’s support of Christians — often a persecuted minority in Pakistan — the Prime Minister, the President and the military’s Field Marshall all showed up and spoke at state-sponsored Christmas celebrations.
It was even made a holiday for the first time ever in Pakistan.
“Christmas is a message for humanity that connects us with feelings of love and goodwill,” said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as quoted by Christian Daily International. He described Christians as an “active, positive and peaceful segment of society.”
“Christmas brings hope, peace and compassion, reminding us of the bonds that unite all human beings,” said President Asif Ali Zardari. He quoted Pakistan’s founder, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah who envisioned freedom of religion.
More significantly, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir — regarded as the nation’s dictator by some — attended Christmas celebrations at the Anglican Church of Pakistan’s Christ Church in Rawalpindi, which is adjacent to the capitol, Islamabad.
Munir extended heartfelt Christmas greetings and conveyed his best wishes for peace, harmony and prosperity to the Christian community. He noted that Pakistan’s strength is rooted in equal opportunities and constitutional values, which transcend religion, race, caste and creed.
A 42-foot-tall Christmas tree has been installed at Liberty Chowk, Lahore, where most Christians are located.
Christians marked Christmas with special prayer services, midnight masses and community gatherings held under heightened security. Churches were decorated with lights and Christmas trees, while Christian neighborhoods displayed banners and festive symbols — a public assertion of identity often muted by fear. In major cities, processions and peace rallies brought unusual visibility to the Christian community.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz personally attended a government-sponsored Christmas ceremony at the Anglican Cathedral Church of the Diocese of Lahore, where she vowed to stand “like a wall” against injustice faced by minorities.
“We are not Muslims, Sikhs, Christians or Hindus first — we are Pakistanis,” she declared.
Cynics have been quick to see the move as pandering to President Trump, but a clear message broadcast across Pakistan is significant because in the past extremists have conducted terrorism against Hindus and Christians while the government turns a blind eye. It projects tolerance.
Important Christians in Pakistan’s history got highlighted in the celebrations: Chief Justice A.R. Cornelius, who strengthened the judicial system; Air Commodore Cecil Chaudhry for his valor in the defense of Pakistan; and Dr. Ruth Pfau for her extraordinary humanitarian work in healthcare, especially her lifelong fight against leprosy.
This article first appeared on Pilgrim Dispatch.
