Daily Times

KHYBER AGENCY: Construction work on the first-ever Christian colony in the tribal belt has been started in Khuga Khel area of Tehsil Landi Kotal. A gathering was organised on Thursday to mark the event. It was attended by Khyber Agency Political Agent Khalid Mehmood, Landi Kotal Assistant Political Agent Niaz Muhammad, Tehsildar Irshad Mohmand, tribal elders and members of the Christian community. Speaking on the occasion, Mehmood said that minorities enjoyed religious freedom across the country. “They exercise their religious and other rites. In the same way, inter-faith harmony can be witnessed in the tribal belt towards minorities. The government strives hard to resolve problems of the minorities in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and the setting up of colony is an example of it,” Khalid Mehmood said.

He said that a long-standing demand of the Christians of the area would be fulfilled with the completion of the construction work. Landi Kotal Christian community president Wilson Wazir thanked the administration officials, local elders and the owners of the property. “With your support, the dream of a separate colony for the local Christians has materialised,” he said.