RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on Monday expressed profound respect for the Christian community, stressing the need for promoting interfaith harmony in society to follow the Quaid’s true vision of a united and progressive Pakistan.
The army chief made these remarks during a meeting with President Bishops (Church of Pakistan and Bishop of Raiwind) along with a 13-member delegation of the Christian Community who called on him at the General Headquarters, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.
General Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff (#COAS) has emphasised the need to promote greater interfaith harmony in society and to follow in Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's true vision of a united and progressive #Pakistan
He was talking to a 13-member delegation of… pic.twitter.com/CCLBLd6SKx
— Pakistan Armed Forces News 🇵🇰 (@PakistanFauj) September 25, 2023
The meeting comes a month after a violent mob of hundreds ransacked and torched nearly two dozen churches, attacked the residences of members of the Christian community and the office of the local assistant commissioner in Jaranwala, sparking nationwide outrage and condemnation.
COAS Munir had denounced the attacks on churches a day later and vowed no leniency for “intolerance and extreme behaviour”.
“It’s imperative for the people to discern the difference between truth, half-truth, lies, misinformation and disinformation,” he had said.
In a more recent development on Saturday, two human rights activists, who were part of the Christian community and had travelled from Karachi to Faisalabad, were reportedly subjected to a brief detention and alleged mistreatment by the police. In response, police countered the claims, accusing the duo of misconduct.
The incident was brought to light by lawyer and human rights activist Jibran Nasir on Friday through a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter).
Today, the Christian community delegation called on the army chief and discussed matters of “mutual interest, religious and inter-faith harmony”, according to the ISPR.
The COAS lauded the contributions of the Pakistani Christian community in national development, including promotion of quality education, healthcare and philanthropic services as well as their outstanding role played in defending the motherland.
He said that Islam was a religion of peace and there was no space for intolerance and extremism in Islam and society. “No one can be allowed to take law in his own hands in a civilised society,” he added.
The 13-member Christian delegation acknowledged the Pakistan army’s efforts in combatting terrorism and providing secure environment to minority communities in the country.
“They appreciated the army chief’s gesture as an inspiration for Pakistani minorities to take greater and more active part in nation building and in restoring their faith in a cohesive and tolerant society,” the ISPR added.
