INTERFAITH HARMONY PROGRAM SEPTEMBER 2023

Interfaith Harmony Program

The VOICE Foundation (VF) has started working in the area of peacebuilding in regions of country where such work is much needed.

The word VOICE stands for Vision Of Initiating Community Edification and edification is only possible if peaceful conditions prevail, as there is a strong link between peace and edification. Pakistan had a history of violence based on religion and faith, and the situation has even deteriorated in the post 9/11 scenario. VF being a development organization felt a strong need to start efforts for the promotion of peace and social harmony under the current circumstances of district Jarawala Faisalabad.

There were certain reasons or incidents that attracted the attention of VF towards the districts of Jarawala to implement its project on interfaith harmony. As the project aims to promote Interfaith Harmony, social co-existence and peace among religious minorities and the Muslim majority.

Pakistan society contains a huge diversity of culture, ethnicity, religions and beliefs. With any diverse society, there are chances of misunderstanding and conflicts among different groups. And Pakistan is no exception to this, be it sectarian violence among Muslims throughout country, the language riots, or the continuous violence against non-Muslims, from Shanti Nagar, Gojra to Jarawala. Therefore, there was a dire need for starting efforts in promoting social harmony among these groups. VOICE Foundation has chosen to start working on interfaith issue which is getting serious day by day due to the ongoing war on terror and increasing militancy in Pakistan. Although increasing militancy was not a main reason for selecting these districts, there was some history of interfaith conflicts in Shanti Nagar, Gojra districts. In Khanewal, the Shanti Nagar incident had taken place between Muslims and Christian populations, whereas in Rajanpur there have been cases of tensions among Shia and Sunni Muslims. However, it remains the fact that these conditions are prevalent in almost among all the districts of the country. VF just wanted to start from somewhere and therefore chose Jarawala as pilot district.

There are encouraging responses from the participants of Muslim and Christian groups at the launching ceremony of the project in Islamabad, with representation of members from both religious institutions. And there a group is formed in the name of “HUM SAB KA KHUDA AIK” headed by Pastor Adnan Bhatti Board member of VOICE Foundation and In-Charge Pastor FGA Church Dhoke Ellahi Bakhsh Rawalpindi, Pakistan. This group comprises of two small groups. One group consists of heads of different mosques and the other group includes heads of different Churches in Rawalpindi / Islamabad i.e Pastors and Executive Director VOICE Foundation.

Under the group named “Hum Sab Ka Khuda Aik” are several renowned names of both Christian and Muslim sects that are listed below:

1. Pastor Adnan Bhatti (In-charge Pastor FGA Church D.E.B RWP)(Group In-charge)

2. Shahzad Paul Khokhar (Executive Director VOICE Foundation)

3. Allama Syed Mustafa Naqvi (Naib Khateeb Bari Imam)

4. Mollana Haroon ur Rasheed

5. Mufti Abdul Salam Jalali

6. Pastor Abishey Amoos

7. Pastor Illyas Masih

8. Bishop Tariq John

9. Bishop James Bhatti

This project includes several phases for the edification of our society with people from different walks of life and religions. Following activities were decided to take place in the first phase of the project.

Activity 1

First Get-together of the group “HUM SAB KA KHUDA AIK”

Get-together among the members of this group took place on September 21, 2023. Purpose of the activity was to sit together and have a pleasant conversation with each other in order to understand and communicate with each other in positive manners. Main reason was to start discussion about how to promote inter-religious dialogue, tolerance and respect for all of Pakistan’s religious traditions. At first Molanas invited the other group at lunch along with Guest Pastor Jeremiah Chairman Pur Fazal Kaliseya and had a good time along with positive discussion.

Activity 2

Visit to Mosque, Church and Hospital in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Group of pastors and VOICE foundation on the other hand visited along with the group of Molanas to a Mosque named “Masjid Abu Zar Ghaffari” situated at G-8/2 Islamabad on September 23, 2023. Mufti Abdul Salam Jalali, Imam at the mosque gave a warm welcome to all the group members of “Hum Sab Ka Khuda Aik” and showed different departments of the mosque. He also shared details regarding to his mosque activities.

After having tea both groups headed towards “Christ Church” situated on Tamiz-ud-Din road, near GHQ Rawalpindi. Pastor Wilson on behalf of Reverend Rashid Manzoor welcomed all the group members cordially. Showed the Church premises and shared the history and other details of the Church.

After served with tea the group left to visit “St. Joseph Hospice” a Christian welfare hospital under the management of Catholic sisters. Staff of the hospice welcomed the group and showed them departments of the hospice. Molanas and Pastors along with executive director VOICE Foundation visited wards of the hospice, met patients and asked about their well-being. VOICE Foundation in collaboration with FGA Church Dhoke Ellahi Bakhsh Rawalpindi arranged food packs for the patients and distributed among them with the help of Molanas and pastors of the group “HUM SAB KA KHUDA AIK”.

Activity 3

Second Get-togethers of the group members of “HUM SAB KA KHUDA AIK”

Group of pastors and VOICE foundation invited Molanas for lunch at FGA Church Dhoke Ellahi Bakhsh Rawalpindi, Pakistan. And continued the discussion on current situation of the country regarding religious matters and how to make connection among people belonging to two faiths.

The discussion was very fruitful and the two groups decided to become a bridge between people of two faiths and work for the sake of better future and growth of the Pakistan. More activities will be designed for future endeavors.