Pakistan Sialkot: (BY Staff Reporter) Dr. Emanuel Adil Ghouri, Chairman of the Christian Awarness  Movement, accompanied by Pastor Mark Henry, visited the District Jail in Sialkot. During the visit, he spoke with prison officials to understand the issues faced by Christian prisoners so that constructive efforts could be made to resolve them.

He provided hundreds of religious books and copies of the Holy Bible to cater to the prisoners' spiritual needs. It is pertinent to note that, in light of the Punjab Home Department’s notification dated January 20, 2023 [No. SO (MP) 11-5/2019 (P-IV)] and the subsequent publication in the Punjab Gazette on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 (pages 3648–3651), approval has been granted for a sentence reduction ranging from 15 to 180 days for Hindu, Christian, and Sikh prisoners upon their completion of courses based on the teachings of their respective religions. 

However, there is a need for an awareness campaign in this regard. Through this statement, Dr. Adil Ghouri has appealed to religious leaders to assist in this noble cause so that aid can be provided to the 1,588 prisoners serving sentences in various jails across Punjab. Gideons International, an organization dedicated to the international distribution of Bibles, collaborated in the distribution of the Holy Bible among the prisoners.