HYDERABAD, Jan 14: Leaders of the Christian community of Karachi and Hyderabad have appealed to higher authorities to cancel duplicate registration of the Young Men's Christian Association, Karachi.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Wednesday, they accused the Sindh social welfare department of taking over the possession of the YMCA building and land in connivance with land grabbers.

They said that a scheme had also been prepared to construct a commercial plaza on the YMCA premises. They said that throughout the world including Pakistan, no duplicate registration of an organization was allowed and alleged that the social welfare department had violated the law and approved a duplicate registration of the YMCA under political pressure.

They said that the social welfare department had appointed its supervisory committee for the YMCA with Safina Javed as its administrator. They said that churches and Christian clergymen were unsafe and the situation had compelled Bishops of churches in Pakistan to approach the Bishop of Canterbury, Church of England, to seek protection.

The Christian leaders demanded that the YMCA should be handed over to its legal representatives. They also demanded that the corrupt officials should be arrested and looted funds of the YMCA be deposited in the account of the association through the National Accountability Bureau.

When asked whether some members of their own community were involved in taking over the possession of the YMCA, former MPA Saleem Khokhar replied that traitors were present in all communities. He, however, added that the majority of the Christians were protesting against the land grabbers.

Those who spoke at the news conference included Michael Javed, Younus S. Khan and other members of the City District Government Karachi, and Imran Gill, member of the executive committee, Church of Pakistan.