As the religious festival of Christmas draws near, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, Lahore has been illuminated with lights, decorations and Christmas trees across major thoroughfares and public spaces. For the nearly 2.5 million Christians living in Punjab, the largest Christian population in any province of Pakistan, almost a quarter of whom reside in Lahore, these visible gestures matter. They signal an effort by the state to acknowledge the festival and to ensure that the Christian minority feels welcome, secure and valued. Such initiatives are not cosmetic; they carry real significance at a time when sectarian and communal........

© The Nation (Editorials)