Christmas celebrations were in full force this year as Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh honored the season in Islamabad and in Washington, DC.
In Islamabad, Prime Minister Sharif said in a statement that Christmas “conveys a universal message of love, peace, tolerance, and goodwill for all humanity.” The Prime Minister also said that the Christian community in Pakistan is “an active, positive, and peaceful segment of society and has rendered commendable services in education, healthcare, and other sectors, contributing to social harmony and national development.”
To mark the occasion, Prime Minister Sharif cut a Christmas cake and was accompanied by prominent Christian leaders and senior government officials at an event held in the Minister’s Home.
Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh held a special ceremony at the Embassy of Pakistan on December 24, underscoring Pakistan’s commitment to interfaith harmony and cultural diversity. At the event, the Ambassador gave gifts to Christian staff members of the Embassy of Pakistan, in recognition of their service and contributions to advancing the work of the Embassy.
Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh said at the event in part, “Pakistan is a multicultural, multilingual, and multiethnic society.” He went on to say that Pakistan is “a place whose sociocultural, religious, and other traditions have been nurtured and matured over millennia.” The Ambassador went on to say that, “Respect for all religions and sharing in one another’s joy strengthens the bonds of humanity.”
This commitment to a welcoming society was recently underscored when December 2, 2025, Pakistan passed the Minorities Rights Bill, 2025 with a strong parliamentary majority, fulfilling a long-pending Supreme Court directive to establish an independent body for safeguarding non-Muslim minorities.
