RAWALPINDI: Like every year, church halls were decorated with lights and tinsel, alters and podiums were covered in brightly coloured fabrics and carols were sang to celebrate the birth of Christ.

However, St. Joseph Church in Lal Kurti was missing its usual Christmas festivity on Thursday as the country was still reeling from the aftereffects of the Peshawar school attack.

Yousaf Masih said most Christians were still grieving the deaths of innocent children in Peshawar and celebratory arrangements had been made only to bring smiles to the faces of children who have been terrified since the attack.

He said while people had attended church services, they were avoiding going to recreational spots in view of the security situation in the country.

On Wednesday night, midnight mass wasorganised at all churches and in the morning special services were held at various Churches in the city. The biggest gathering was at the St.

Joseph Cathedral. Special prayers were offered in churches for the souls of those who lost their lives in the Peshawar attack.

Local police made special security arrangements with personnel deployed both inside and outside churches.

All Pakistan Minority Alliance (APMA) spokesman Shamoon Gill told Dawn the Christian community decided to keep Christmas celebrations low-key this year to express solldarity with the families who lost loved ones in the Peshawar attacl(.

`After the incident, all schools affiliated with churches canceled special Christmas functions.

Catholic Christ Church and Church of Pakistan also announced that New Year celebrations would be kept low key and only late night mass service would be organised in churches,` he said. Meanwhile, low pressure of natural gas spoiled many family lunches and dinners. Those living in Westridge Bazaar, Raja Sultan and areas behind Holy Family Hospital, Kohinoor Mills on Peshawar Road, Naseerabad and Tench Bhatta were the worst hit.

Suhail Sajid, who works with a private firm, said he invited family members to Christmas lunch but his wife was unable to cook a mealbecause of low gas pressure and asked him to bring food from the market.

`I had to borrow money from a colleague to buy food from the market as the day before, I had spent money on buying chicken and other groceries to make a home cooked meal,` he said.

Sumer Raj, a government employee and resident of Naseerabad, said, `For Eid, the government directed the SNGPL and Iesco to assure uninterrupted gas and electricity supply but for us no such directives were given,` he said.

In Taxila and Wah Cantonment, Christmas celebrations were also kept low key to mourn the terrorist attack at the Army Public School in Peshawar.

Toned down celebrations on Christmas Eve started with prayers in churches and homes.

Midnight mass was organised with main services held at the Mall Cathedral in Wah and the chapel in Taxila Museum. Morning services were also organised in churches.

Churches and homes were decorated with lights and Christmas trees were put up. Special prayers were offered for the prosperity and progress of Pakistan, victims of Peshawar school and peace in the world.

After attending services, members of the Christian community attended funfairs organised on Church premises. Families also visited parks and otherrecreationalplaces.