21 January 2005	Friday	10 Zilhaj 1425

LAHORE, Jan 20: The Bishop of Lahore, Rt Rev Dr Alexander John Malik, has extended greetings to Muslim brethren on the occasion of Eidul Azha.

The Bishop hoped that the Eid would not only be a time of joyous celebration but also an occasion of remembering the victims of tsunami disaster.

He prayed that in response to the prayers of His faithful and by His mercy, God would cause cessation of enmity and restore peace in the hearts of men. The Bishop also prayed for the progress, prosperity and solidarity of the country.

Meanwhile, Lahore Archbishop Rev Lawrence J. Saldanha has also extended greetings to the Muslims on the occasion of Eidul Azha. In a message, Bishop Saldanha said: "The annual observance of Haj and the commemoration of the sacrifice of Hazrat Ibrahim, our common father in faith, is an occasion to rededicate ourselves to work together in a spirit of solidarity and respect for one another.

"I pray that this Eid may bring peace, unity and prosperity to our nation and we may do away with our differences and stress the common point of all religions. It is our wish to see all religions in this country living in peace and harmony with one another and respecting each others faiths," he said.

NCIDE: The National Commission for Inter-Religious Dialogue and Ecumenism (NCIDE) has wished the Muslim brethren joys of Eidul Azha.

In a statement, NCIDE chairman and Multan Bishop Andrew Francis and executive secretary Fr Francis Nadeem wished that this great Islamic feast may be a source of love, brotherhood, harmony and understanding among all humanity.