Washington (GNP): Chairman Senate of Pakistan Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani met with a delegation of religious leaders and representatives from international and civil society organizations to discuss efforts toward interfaith harmony, peaceful coexistence, tolerance, and social inclusion.
The delegation was headed by Pastor Dr. Bob Roberts Jr., Founder of the Multi-Faith Neighbors Network (MFNN) in the USA; Micah Fries, Director of MFNN; and Shahid Rehmat, Executive Director of the Youth Development Foundation (YDF) and Founder of Acceptance for Inclusion (A4I) in Canada. The group was accompanied by Senator Khalil Tahir Sandhu, a member of the Senate of Pakistan.
Chairman Gilani said that building an inclusive society requires ensuring equal respect, dignity, and opportunity for every segment of the population.
Reflecting on his time as Prime Minister, he noted that his government had taken concrete institutional steps to support minorities, including establishing a dedicated Ministry for Interfaith Harmony and introducing a job quota for minority communities. He also spoke about the importance of ensuring meaningful minority representation in the Senate, noting that as Chairman he had created a Minority Caucus to give religious minorities a dedicated parliamentary platform and strengthen their role in the democratic process.
Gilani stressed that parliaments carry an important responsibility in fostering mutual respect, understanding, and tolerance, affirming his commitment to using parliamentary diplomacy to advance these goals. He said Pakistan’s diversity is one of its greatest strengths, and that all citizens — regardless of faith — play a vital role in the country’s development and progress.
He further highlighted the role religious leaders, lawmakers, civil society groups, and young people play in building connections between communities and pushing back against intolerance, bias, and discrimination.
Delegation leader Pastor Dr. Bob Roberts Jr. praised Gilani’s dedication to interfaith harmony and extended an invitation for him to attend the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, set to take place in the first week of February next year — an invitation Gilani accepted warmly.
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The Chairman Senate welcomed expanded international and institutional cooperation, expressing hope that continued dialogue and joint initiatives would help foster a more peaceful, tolerant, and inclusive society.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
