PESHAWAR: Christian community observed Easter Sunday with religious zeal and fervour and held special prayers in churches under tight security here on Sunday.

Prayers were offered in various churches, including Saint Michael’s Catholic Church on Mall Road, Saint John Cathedral, Seventh Day, Assembly of God, Saint John, and also in the suburban localities of the provincial capital like Ring Road, Pando, Kohati Gate, Gulbahar, Umeedabad and Peshtakhara.

Christian community members lit candles and sang special songs and prayed for the security, peace and prosperity of the country.

The participants also celebrated the day by cutting cakes, distributing sweets and exchanging gifts.

In some areas, Christians also took out rallies as part of the celebrations. Similarly, in various churches stalls were displayed where Ester gifts were available.

Talking to Dawn, Christian community members said through the Ester they conveyed message of peace and brotherhood to the entire world.

“We offered special prayers for restoration of peace in the violence hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.”

The Christians said the Easter Sunday was typically the most well attended Sunday service of the year at churches as the community held special prayers and ceremonies to mark the Easter week.

They said special prayers were also offered for those killed in the All Saints Church at Kohati Gate.

Volunteers checked the people before entering churches. Police personnel also remained alert at main gates of all the churches and kept watch on movement of people and vehicles.

The Christians demanded compensation for the families who were dislocated due to the construction of city circular road.

They also urged the government to provide water, electricity and natural gas facilities to the Church Colony.

“After dislocating us from the Church Colony at Lahori Gate the city district government led by former district nazim Haji Ghulam Ali didn’t provide us proper accommodation,” said Mushtaq Masih.

He added that ANP led government had also promised to resolve their problems, but to no avail.

The community members also asked the government to provide job opportunities to the heirs of the victims of the twin suicide bombings at the Kohati Gate church as majority of the families had lost their bread earners.