A Christian resident of Punjab has alleged that members of the Christian community were humiliated after being given used clothes instead of proper gifts under a Christmas initiative attributed to the Punjab government.
Irfan Masih, a resident of Tehsil Lalian in Chiniot district, said that he and other community members were called by the Deputy Commissioner Chiniot, who informed them that Christmas gifts were being distributed on behalf of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
However, Masih claimed that the gift packages contained only second-hand clothes.
“We are Christians and we are also human beings,” Masih said in video posted by journalist Ahsan Wahid (X/AhsanWahid13) on X/Twitter. “Yes, many of us are poor and work in sanitation, but that does not mean we deserve used clothes as Christmas gifts. These are things we can buy ourselves from local markets.”
پنجاب حکومت کی جانب سے مسیحی برادری کی تذلیل ۔۔ افسوسناک صورتحال
عرفان مسیح کہتے ہیں ہم تحصیل لالیاں کے رہائشی ہیں ہمیں ڈپٹی کمشنر چنیوٹ نے بلایا اور کہا کہ وزیراعلی پنجاب مریم نواز شریف کی جانب سے کرسمس گفٹ ہیں ہمارے لیے لیکن گفٹ پیکس میں صرف لنڈے کے کپڑے ہیں
کہتے ہیں ہم مسیح… pic.twitter.com/qnchH4rm0Y
— Ahsan Wahid (@AhsanWahid13) December 26, 2025
He described the move as disrespectful and said it had hurt the sentiments of the Christian community.
The allegations come days after Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz attended a Christmas ceremony at Cathedral Church as a special guest, where she extended greetings to the Christian community and reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to protecting minority rights.
During the event, the chief minister also distributed minority cards and Christmas grant checks, announcing that the minority card program would be expanded to cover up to 100,000 beneficiaries.
There has been no official response yet from the Punjab government or the district administration regarding the allegations of distributing used clothes.
