Islamabad: In a first, Pakistan’s Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa hosted a banquet dinner on Monday for some of the country’s most senior Christian leaders, to celebrate the ‘honour’ bestowed on Pakistani priest Joseph Coutts.
On June 28, Pope Francis appointed Coutts as cardinal in the Vatican City.
General Bajwa hailed the appointment as a matter of ‘national pride’ that a Pakistani priest was awarded that unique honour by no one else but the leader of the Catholic Church himself.
The dinner was attended, among others, by Coutts himself and the Right Reverend Humphrey Sarfraz Peter.
Father Joseph’s appointment is one of the diverse selection Pope Francis made from all over the world including Iraq, Madagascar and Japan.
He is one of 14 Cardinals around the world.
The appointments come as the Argentine pontiff is gradually shaping a less European college of cardinals.
Army chief Bajwa described the appointment of Cardinal Coutts as a great national honour and a milestone towards fostering national harmony and accord.
He lauded the contributions of Pakistani Christians in national development including promotion of quality education, health care and philanthropic services, making special mention of the outstanding role played by a number of minority members in defence of the motherland.
He expressed deep respect for Christian community and stressed upon the need for promoting greater interfaith harmony in society in order to march toward Quaid’s true vision of a united and progressive Pakistan.
Cardinal Coutts and Reverend Peter while expressing their gratitude 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.
They reiterated their resolve to take steps for more positive role by the Christian community towards national development and progress.
The other eminent dignitaries present on the occasion included Archbishop Sebastian Francis Shaw, Archbishop Joseph Arshad, Bishop Benny Marlo Travas and Father Sohail Patrick.
The Church of Pakistan was represented by Right Reverend Irfan Jamil, Right Reverend Roderick Leo Paul, Right Reverend John Samuel, Right Reverend Alvin Samuel, Bishop Manoo Romal Shah, Reverend Maqsood Kamil and Reverend Nadeem Kamil.
Senator John Kenneth Williams and a few serving and retired Army officers from Christian community also formed part of the gathering which ended in prayers for national unity and prosperity.
