Pakistan: Christians pray for 'Muslim brethren of Kashmir'

Source: Fides

A special prayer service for "the Muslim brethren of Kashmir" was organised yesterday by the Ecumenical Solidarity Committee in Lahore, Religious leaders from the Catholic Church, Church of Pakistan, Anglican Church, Presbyterian Church and Salvation Army took part.

Prayers were accompanied by an appeal for peace for the disputed region of Kashmir where tensions between India and Pakistan have been on high alert recently.

Pakistani Muslim leaders were invited for the occasion. The service was led by Franciscan, Fr Francis Nadeem OFM Cap, secretary of the ecumenical and interreligious dialogue Commission in the Episcopal Conference of Pakistan.

The participants showed their determination to support "the Kashmiri Brethren" in their campaign for dignity, justice and freedom, recalling many of them who have contributed to the independence of Pakistan. The assembly prayed for peace and harmony between Pakistan and India and launched a heartfelt appeal that "the political controversy between India and Pakistan is resolved through dialogue, without resorting to weapons and with the prospect of real and lasting peace."

At the end of the meeting, the leaders symbolically released doves in the air with a hope "that this message of Peace would be carried to the Indo-Pakistani borders and encourage reconciliation".