ASIA/PAKISTAN - The commitment of the Franciscans: interreligious dialogue defuses religious and social tensions

Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - Interreligious dialogue and effective cooperation between religious leaders and civil authorities are valuable and effective means of defusing social and religious tensions and ensuring and maintaining harmony in Pakistani society, Father Lazar Aslam, OFM Cap, told Fides. The Capuchin and head of the Church of St. Francis in Lahore takes over the legacy of Father Francis Nadeem, who died in 2020 and who dedicated his entire life to Islamic-Christian dialogue in Pakistan. The Franciscans in Pakistan feel particularly committed to this mission, as they see dialogue as a "path to peace". Fr. Lazar Aslam (OFM Cap), led an interreligious delegation that visited yesterday, November 18, 2024, the area of Kahna Nau, a southern suburb of Lahore, the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab. In this area, in early November, a case of alleged blasphemy had caused unrest in the local community, where Muslim families live together with about 160 Christian families. Zafar Masih, a drug addict suffering from mental health problems, set fire to his own house where he had been collecting paper: pages of the Koran and the Bible were also burned. When some neighbors saw the burned pages, they began to spread the accusation of blasphemy against Islam. In response, some Muslim youths threatened a mass attack on local Christians, which terrified Christian families in view of previous cases in Pakistan, such as in August 2023 in Jaranwala, also in the province of Punjab (see Fides, 18/8/2023 and 21/8/2023). The interreligious delegation was now called upon to prevent the worst. In addition to Father Lazar Aslam, the group included Pastor Asif Ehsan Khokar, the Islamic scholar Mufti Syed Ashif Hussain and Chaudhry Kamran Pervez, Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities of Punjab. The delegation met with the local security chief, explained the situation and called for protection for all residents. Thanks to the responsible and impartial action of all civil and religious authorities, the situation was brought under control in time. The person responsible for the fire was meanwhile taken into custody by the police, who will alert social services. The intervention of the delegation, in cooperation with civil institutions, prevented external groups seeking to exploit the incident to escalate tensions from creating a "case of national importance" and triggering a conflict. The members of the delegation stressed the importance of interreligious dialogue and mutual understanding. Mufti Ashif Hussain recalled that "from an Islamic perspective, the relationship between Muslims and Christians has long been part of the shared history of both communities and the nation and must be protected." "These efforts have helped the Muslim and Christian communities in Kahna Nau continue to live together in peace, even though there are still some individuals who foment interreligious tensions," said Father Lazar Aslam. He added: "This episode is exemplary. Continued cooperation between the two communities is necessary for the welfare of Pakistan.
Christians are peaceful citizens who have made and continue to make important contributions to the country's well-being. We must move forward and act together to overcome misunderstandings between Muslims and Christians and remain united to ensure Pakistan's bright future and lasting peace in the country." (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 19/11/2024)

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