Interfaith meeting held in Karachi during Holy Week
by Shafique Khokhar

The International Lawyers Forum invited Card Coutts as well as other Christian, Hindu and Sikh leaders for an iftar meal at the Markazi Jama mosque to break the Ramadan fast. The archbishop emeritus of Karachi hopes that such gatherings are not limited to special occasions.

 


Karachi (AsiaNews) – The International Lawyers Forum (ILF) organised an iftar at Karachi’s Markazi Jama Mosque, to break the daytime fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

For this occasion, they invited Card Joseph Coutts as well as other Christian, Hindu and Sikh leaders.

The guests were welcomed by Hazrat Maulana Tanveer ul Haq Thanvi, an eminent Islamic scholar, founder and director of Jamia Ehtishamia and khatib (prayer leader) at the Markazi Jama Mosque, as well as High Court lawyer and ILF chairman Nasir Ahmad.

Ahmad thanked all the participants, in particular Card Coutts and Kashif Anthony, coordinator of the National Commission for Justice and Peace of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan, for breaking the fast together.

Lawyer Nasir added that the contribution of the Christian community in education, charity and health is a precious gift to Pakistan.

For his part, Card Coutts said that he would like to see this type of event lead to brotherhood between religions, and not be limited to special occasions, but become a way of life throughout the year.

Maulana Tanveer ul Haq Thanvi responded by saying that he looks at people from different religions as flowers in a beautiful bouquet, where each flower is unique and has its own value and beauty.

He also said that he prayed for prosperity and peace in his country.