DUHS Ojha campus Karachi closes Chapel and desecrates Holy Cross

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Karachi: December 14, 2012; The Muslim administrators of Dow University of Health Sciences DUHS Ojha campus closed down Chapel and turned it into a utility store in 2003 when took over control of Ojha institute of Chest diseases but Holy Cross still remained erected on roof. Well known as “Ojha Sanitarium” was founded by Mr. Deepchand Ojha in outskirts of Karachi city in 1942, for treatment of TB and other chest diseases. As staff of Ojha Sanitarium was mostly Christian, a Chapel was built in vicinity of this institution during British Colonial rule in sub-continent of India. After independence of Pakistan, Ojha Sanitarium was reconstructed in 1965, with capacity of 300 beds but Chapel remained and opened for Christian staff and visitors, under supervision of Heath Ministry of Government of Sindh. When Dow University of Health Sciences in 2003, expanded its Ojha Campus, the Chapel was closed which later was turned to be storage. The DUHS administration later damaged Holy Cross erected on Chapel and desecrated it on which Christian employees of this institute lodged protest but ignored by Muslim administrators. Mr. Saleem Khursheed Khokhar, MPA Sindh, Chairman Standing Committee on Minorities Affairs Sindh Assembly and President All Pakistan Minorities Alliance yesterday submitted an application for restoration of chapel / church at Dow University of Health Science (OJha Campus). Contents of the applications are as under: - The Hon’ble Governor Sindh, Karachi. Subject: SACRILEGE OF CHAPEL / CHURCH AT DOW UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCE (OJHA CAMPUS) I would like to bring to your kind notice that a very serious issue of the Christian Community in Karachi City pertaining to a Church / Chapel which was built during British Raj in the above noted premises formularly known as Ojha Sanitarium for the purposes of worship for Christians Staff and Patients for the last several years. The above chapel / church premises has been closed without notice or announcement for the reasons best known to the concerned authorities and the Christians Staff / Patients have been deprived and prevented from regular worship in the above chapel / premises. It has been observed that the cross above the Chapel premises has also been damaged and removed arbitrarily by the authorities concerned and the church premises / baptismal place for baptism of the Christian is being used as garbage place and garbage is done by the authorities concerned. The above act on part of the above management and authorities concerned is sacrilege of the holy place and sacrilege and martyrdom of cross in the Holy Baptismal place. The Christian Community and the Staff Members of Karachi are highly perturbed on the sacrilege of said Chapel / Church at the above campus which is against the provisions of the constitution of 1973 of Pakistan, wherein right of worship and maintenance of religious places have been guaranteed. In view of the aforesaid we appeal to your Excellency to restore and maintain the above chapel / church at the above campus and oblige. With kind regards, Saleem Khokhar MPA

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On demand of our readers, I have decided to release E-Book version of "Trial of Pakistani Christian Nation" on website of PCP which can also be viewed on website of Pakistan Christian Congress www.pakistanchristiancongress.org . You can read chapter wise by clicking tab on left handside of PDF format of E-Book.

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