A church-based peace center organized an interfaith Iftar (the meal eaten after sunset during Ramadan) in partnership with the Christian Care Foundation, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church Pakistan, and the Ministry of Human Rights Pakistan on March 3, 2025, in Lahore, Pakistan.
The hosts of the program were Dominican Father James Channan, director of the Peace Center, and Tanveer Yaqoob, chairman of the Christian Care Foundation.
“Through events, we promote respect, unity, love, interfaith harmony, and peace among the people of different religions in Pakistan,” said Father Channan, a member of the Order of Preachers.
The program brought together 130 interfaith religious leaders, civil society and media representatives, doctors, advocates, teachers, and peace activists from various religions, including Muslims, Christians, and Hindus, who joyfully participated in this interfaith gathering.
The guest of honor was Kim Sun Hwan, Director of Adventist Mission North Asia Pacific Division, South Korea.
The honorable guests were Myun Ju Lee, president of Seventh-Day Adventist Church, and Asher Ilyas Syed Kashif Hussain, representative of the Ministry of Human Rights Pakistan; Gary and Cheryl Koeven; and James Zamran, member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mufti Ashiq Hussain, Pandit Baghat Lal Khokhar, Javed William, Allama Badar Munir, Allama Asim Makhdoom, Allama Mehmood Ghaznavi, Fr. John Joseph, Allama Qasim Ali Qasim, Syed Nau-Bhar Shah, Amarnath Randhawa, Allama Abdu-Mustafa Chishti, Franciscan priest Lazar Aslam, Dr. Saleem, Dr. Abdul Ghawar Randhawa, Pastor Asif Khokhar, Advocate Ishtiaq Chaudhry, Zaheer Shah, Pastor Amjad Nimat, Naukhez Khokhar, Advocate Saima Rafique, Asif Joseph, Samuel Nazir, Khalid Anjum, Iqbal Sani, Advocate Ch Zubair Farooq Ahmad, and Pervaiz Khokhar.
Asher Nazir, executive secretary of Peace Center, Lahore, began the program with interfaith prayers.
He invited Fr. Lazar Aslam OFM for Christian prayer, Pandit Baghat Lal Khokhar for Hindu prayer, and Muhammad Zaheer Hussain for Muslim prayer.
Nazir introduced all the honorable guests and the staff of the Peace Center.
Fr. Channan, an award winning peace activist in the country, shared the objective of the program.
“Today we come together as people of different faiths, backgrounds, and traditions to celebrate the Interfaith Iftar Dinner at Peace Center, Lahore,” he said.
“Let us join in extinguishing the fires of hatred and violence and instead light the gentle candle of peace and love that is present in our rich human and religious traditions,” he added. “As people of different religions, we are witnesses of hope.”
He urged all to radiate light through the promotion of peace, harmony, security, and joy as a symbol of hope.
“May your [Muslim brethren’s] fasting and other pious practices during Ramadan and the celebration of Eid-ul Fitr that concludes it bring you abundant fruits of peace, hope, and joy,” said Channan.
Pakistan, a theocratic country where Islam is a state religion, faces many challenges. One of them is the promotion of religious harmony. Therefore, religious leaders often try to sustain inter-religious dialogues and conversations through various programs and events.
The estimated 241 million Muslims in Pakistan make up the majority; Christians and Hindus make up roughly 1.6 percent each.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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