Celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of the archdiocese ended with a solemn Eucharistic celebration led by the apostolic nuncio. Archbishop Travas highlighted three challenges: following Jesus, the Synodal journey, and serving the poor and the vulnerable. He also called for greater responsibility for the laity (especially women) in the life of the Church.
Last week, the new Bishop's House was inaugurated and blessed in the presence of Card Joseph Coutts and Archbishop Germano Penemote, apostolic nuncio to Pakistan, as well as other bishops of Pakistan. The venue will serve as a point of reference for the Church’s pastoral and social activities led by Archbishop Arshad.
Minahil, only six years old, was raped in the Asan School System by Muhammad Hassan, an employee of the institute. The man was arrested after the family's complaint, tests on the girl confirmed the abuse and DNA results are awaited. Christian and Muslim leaders have visited the victim and expressed their closeness to the parents.
Pakistan’s parliament approved a series of bills in about 40 minutes, sparking a strong reaction from the main opposition party, which is led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The army chief of staff, who was supposed to leave next year, will thus remain in office until 2027. The number of justices on the Supreme Court has also been increased.
In Multan, Roshani Shakeel was the victim of a forced marriage last March. The human rights violation was possible because of the complicity of local authorities and the imam who facilitated the conversion. “They are torturing our family,” the girl’s mother told AsiaNews. For activist Joseph Jansen, “This systemic failure must be addressed”.
After months of clashes with the judiciary, most notably over the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the government led by Shehbaz Sharif has approved a constitutional amendment empowering a parliamentary committee with appointing the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, hitherto chosen based on seniority. For experts, this is a new attempt to limit the powers to which the opposition can turn to.
