Christmas festivities grip twin cities.

RAWALPINDI -- Christmas cheer spread across the garrison city on Wednesday, as Christian residents celebrated the holiday with enthusiasm.

Churches were decorated with colourful lights, and all of them had organised midnight services where prayers were offered. The midnight services were followed by morning services in various areas.

The largest gathering in Rawalpindi was held at St Joseph's Cathedral, but other churches also held large congregations where prayers were offered in the context of the birth and teachings of Jesus Christ.

Christmas trees and cribs were set up in homes, and katchi abadis and informal settlements were also lit up ahead of the holiday.

'We make special arrangements and arrange parties where carols were rendered keeping in view the dignity of the occasion,' said John Masih, a resident of Lal Kurti.

He said that the children enjoy the occasion a lot because they receive gifts from their elders, and Santa Claus also gives them presents in church.

'All families try to take part in the Christmas celebrations wholeheartedly and according to their financial situation,' said Gulfam Masih, who lives in an informal settlement near Westridge.

He said inflation forced many people to borrow money to celebrate Christmas, adding that he had to borrow money so he could buy new clothes for his wife and children.

The police made elaborate security arrangements inside and outside churches, while the district administration and Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonment boards organised special events for more than 3,000 sanitation workers from the Christian community.

Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) Cantonment Executive Officer Sibtain Raza praised the role of the Christian community in the education and health sectors.

The Rawalpindi Municipal Waste Company also organised a Christmas event.

Local politicians from the PPP, PML-N, Jamaat-i-Islami, PTI and other parties visited churches and predominantly Christian localities and expressed solidarity with them.

Ceremonies in Taxila, Wah

To express solidarity with Christian employees, the cantonment board authorities of Taxila and Wah organised two different events in their respective offices.

The cake-cutting ceremony was performed by Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Director Administration Brig Imran Haider Sherazi along with Station Commander Taxila Col Azhar Ali and Cantonment Executive Officer Haider Ali Sial.

Addressing the employees, Mr Shirazi said Islam taught the lesson of peace...