Lahore: The Interfaith Harmony Society of the Civil Services Academy (CSA), comprising probationary officers of the 54th Common Training Programme, organised an interfaith dialogue titled ‘Building Bridges of Understanding, Respect and Peace’ to promote mutual respect, tolerance and peaceful coexistence among diverse faith communities.
The programme, held in two sessions, brought together representatives of different religions, senior government officials and religious scholars to deliberate on the importance of dialogue in fostering an inclusive and harmonious society.
The first session, ‘Interfaith Harmony Dialogue: Building Bridges through Faith, ‘ featured addresses by Isphandyar M. Bhandara representing the Parsi community, Rt Rev Bishop Nadeem Kamran from the Christian community, Prof Ashoke Kumar Khatri representing the Hindu community, Dr Ruhiyeh Muffedi of the Bah¡’ community and Ahmad Ali Kelashi from the Kalasha community.
The speakers highlighted the common values shared by their respective faiths, including compassion, justice, human dignity and service to humanity. They underscored that meaningful dialogue and mutual understanding are vital to overcoming prejudice, strengthening social cohesion and fostering respect for religious diversity.
The second session, titled ‘Challenges and Solutions to Interfaith Harmony, ‘ was addressed by Secretary Human Rights Division Abdul Khalique Sheikh, Secretary Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Department Punjab Dr Usman Ali Khan, Director Administration Auqaf Department Muhammad Shakir Sandhu and Grand Imam and Khateeb of the Badshahi Mosque Syed Muhammad Abdul Kabeer Azad.
The speakers stressed the importance of sustained engagement among religious communities, effective public policies, quality education and responsible leadership to counter intolerance and reinforce national cohesion. They observed that interfaith harmony is central to Pakistan’s constitutional vision and called for collective efforts by state institutions, civil society, educational institutions and faith leaders to safeguard the rights of all citizens and promote a peaceful, pluralistic society.
Speaking at the concluding session, CSA Director General Farhan Aziz Khawaja appreciated the Interfaith Harmony Society and the probationary officers for organising the dialogue. He said Pakistan’s diversity is one of its greatest strengths and emphasised that civil servants must uphold the constitutional principles of equality, inclusion and respect for all citizens. He urged the probationary officers to carry the spirit of interfaith harmony into their professional responsibilities and contribute to building a more cohesive and peaceful society.