Pakistan

Today's historic decision by the Church of England, which will see a female head of the primatial see for the first time, is also highly significant for the Asian Churches that are part of the Anglican Communion. Among them are the United Churches of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, which have already opened up the ordained ministry to women, with female bishops in some Indian dioceses.

After India's victory in cricket at the Asia Cup, Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the sporting success by comparing it to Operation Sindoor, the military offensive India launched against Pakistan in the wake of a terrorist attack in Pahalgam. The fighting that followed in May was halted thanks to US mediation, which India, however, denies accepting. While US-Indian relations remain tense, the United States is boosting its ties with Pakistan by signing two memoranda on precious minerals.

After 20 years of progress, a recently released World Bank report paints a grim picture: one in four Pakistanis now lives in poverty, with peaks of 42.7 per cent in Balochistan. This is driven by a fragile growth model, based on informal employment, which has left millions of people vulnerable to the crises that have hit the country since 2020. Climate vulnerability, record inflation, and poor public services are exacerbating inequalities.

During the ecumenical celebration at St Paul's Outside the Walls in honour of the 1,624 Christians of all denominations who gave their lives for the Gospel in the first 25 years of this century, Pope Leo XIV quoted the words of a child who died at the age of 10 among the victims of the Youhanabad massacre on 15 March 2025. ‘Although they were killed in body, no one can silence their voices or erase the love they gave.’

Satellite images suggest that by the end of this year, Pakistan could surpass Afghanistan in drug production, with profits going to various terrorist groups in its southwestern province. Here, poppy fields grow as attacks multiply. Separatist groups and Pakistan’s military have been joined recently by the Islamic State with the local population caught in the crossfire.

Over two million people have been forced to leave their homes due to unprecedented flooding. To address the humanitarian crisis, the HEAL Foundation Pakistan has organised a medical camp in Faisalabad, providing free assistance and medicines to 150 people.

Two years after the dramatic assault on the Christian neighbourhood of Faisalabad that sowed violence and destruction, the local community has launched the longest public protest by a minority in Pakistan's history. Lala Robin Daniel tells AsiaNews: ‘Criminal complaints have fallen on deaf ears, and after promises of compensation, the Punjab government is now ignoring us. Without answers, we will boycott the upcoming by-elections.’

The Peace Center Lahore unites Muslims, Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs, where people share iftars, perform joint celebrations, and carry out relief efforts during floods for a peace that requires concrete action, not just talk, understanding, not just the absence of conflict. The project puts forward a different Pakistan with communities that listen to one another, where friendships grow, and young people lead the change.

The Shanghai Co-operation Organisation condemns last April’s attack in Kashmir that sparked border fighting between India and Pakistan, but also terrorist attacks in Balochistan, which Islamabad blames on New Delhi. Modi, unlike his Pakistani counterpart Shahbaz Sharif, avoided expressing support for the Belt and Road Initiative. For China, despite tensions in South Asia, multilateralism remains the best option for building an anti-US bloc.

Shamraiz Masih, 14, was cajoled and abducted. His mother, Rehana Imran, report the matter to the police, but the officers showed only apathy and disinterest. The court placed the child in custody with distant Muslim relatives. “This is not an isolated case,” says an activist.

This is done for the first time since 1971, when the country gained independence through war. The agreement, which will last for five years and follows a meeting of senior Pakistani government ministers visiting Bangladesh, reflects a new balance of power following Sheikh Hasina's flight a year ago. In addition to visas, the two countries sign cooperation agreements in education, media, and trade.

A few days before the big event in Tor Vergata, the Archdiocese's Justice and Peace Commission held its Youth Day. Kashif Anthony: ‘I want to see their conditions improve and help them work to contribute to the betterment of society and our country.’