Fr. James Channan OP Director, Peace Center Lead Christian inter denominational delegation consisting of Fr. Pascal Paulus OP Prior vice Provincial, Dominican Order Pakistan, Rev. Fr.Asif Sardar Vicar General, Archdiocese of Lahore, Fr. Naqash Azam Director Interfaith Relations, Rev. Emmanuel Khokhar Vicar General, Church of Pakistan, Fr. Basharat Anthony Principal, St. Anthony College, Most Rev. Bishop Sylvester Tahir Bhatti, Rev. Samuel Nazir Global Mission Associate Director Seventh Day Adventists Asia, Rev. Azhar Alfred Director Public Affairs & Religious Liberty, Dr. Zubair Khan, Pastor Azmat Emmanuel, Rev. Prof. Sosheel Emanuel Khokhar, Prof. Saleem Asim, Fr. Adil Ashraf OP, Fr. Yann Vagneux, Imran Ghauri.
On 27th February 2026, history was written when Muslims and Christians at the elegant Badshahi Mosque, Lahore gathered for a combined Breaking of the Fast (Iftari).This holy gathering became a powerful sign of unity, harmony and mutual respect as both communities involved were observing the holy seasons of Ramadan and Lent. Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, the Grand Imam of Badshahi Mosque welcomed delegation in highest spirits and appreciation and expressed solidarity for interfaith harmony and oexistence.During this historic Iftari, Fr. Pascal Paulus OP, Bishop Sylvester Tahir Bhatti, Rev. Emmanuel S. Khokhar, and Fr. James Channan OP delivered inspiring short speeches. They sincerely thanked aulana Abdul Khabir Azad for this grand gesture of Christian and Muslim friendship and dialogue at the Grand Mosque.
Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad (Grand Imam of Badshahi Mosque)
Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, the Grand Imam of Badshahi Mosque welcomed delegation and said that I warmly welcome you all to the historic Badshahi Mosque. It gives me great joy to see our Christian brothers here with us for this Joint Iftar. Today, I want to say: This is the real Pakistan. Pakistan is our beloved country. It is a land where people of different faiths live together with respect, love, and unity. I especially appreciate Fr. James Channan for his valuable services in promoting peace and interfaith harmony in Pakistan. Your efforts for dialogue and brotherhood are truly commendable. We are in the blessed month of Ramadan, a month of fasting, prayer, and spiritual reflection. It is beautiful and fortunate that at the same time, our Christian brothers and sisters are observing their holy season of Lent. Both Muslims and Christians are united in fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. This is a great act of harmony that we come together to break the fast. This gathering is not only about food; it is about unity, respect, and love. This is the true fruit of interfaith harmony.
Fr. Pascal Paulus OP (Prior vice Provincial, Dominican Order Pakistan)
Rev. Fr. Pascal Paulus, O.P shared his joy and expressed that his prayers are with all those present in this blessed mosque. He extended his heartfelt congratulations to everyone gathered on this special occasion. He said that coming together to participate in Iftar is a powerful sign of unity, mutual respect, and brotherhood. He firmly believes that this sacred month is a month of blessings and a time of spiritual harvest. All over the world, Muslim brothers and sisters are observing Ramadan Kareem with deep devotion and faith. He prayed that Almighty God may abundantly bless all Muslims during this holy season and that this month may bring happiness, love, and divine grace especially upon our beloved country, Pakistan. At the same time, he noted that Christians are also journeying through their holy season of fasting. Our Lord Jesus Christ has taught the importance of prayer and fasting. These are days of sacrifice, days of caring for others, days of purity of heart, and days of drawing closer to Almighty God. He sincerely thanked the organizers of this blessed Iftar gathering, especially Fr. James Channan, O.P., acknowledging that such moments strengthen the bonds of peace and fraternity among all communities. He concluded with a prayer that Almighty God may protect Pakistan, bless the Pakistani Armed Forces, and make our homeland a cradle of lasting peace, harmony, and security. He wished everyone a very blessed and happy Ramadan Kareem and holy season of Lent.
Bishop Sylvester Tahir Bhatti
Bishop Sylvester Tahir Bhatti said that as we gather here at the historic Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, this moment stands as clear proof that we respect one another and acknowledge that we belong to different religions within Pakistan, where Islam is the majority faith. Yet, despite our differences, we work together for the progress and prosperity of our beloved country and remain committed to preserving the beauty and harmony of Pakistan. He emphasized that today’s invitation is a strong and visible sign of interfaith unity, through this gathering; we carry the message of Ramadan Mubarak to all. Ramadan teaches patience, compassion, and self-discipline. It is truly a blessed time. He further reflected that these same values are central to the teachings of Jesus Christ, where forgiveness, love, and peace come first. Today, we witness these shared values alive among us. In conclusion, he prayed that we may all realize that the true development and progress of Pakistan depend upon our hearts, our sincerity, mutual respect, and commitment to unity. This is a responsibility that every citizen must remember and uphold.
Rev. Emmanuel S. Khokhar Vicar General Church of Pakistan
Rev. Emmanuel said that I thank my brother, Ambassador of Peace, Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, Sahib. After 31 years Ramadan and the Lenten season of the Christians have come together once again. We thank God for this blessed time. We pray that this holy season may bring peace and security to our country. All those gathered here, who are ambassadors of peace, are working tirelessly for harmony and unity. We thank God for each one of them and for their families. And we thank all of you for being here.
Rev. Samuel Nazir Global Mission Associate Director Seventh Day Adventists Asia
Rev. Samuel Nazir thanked God for His abundant blessings and expressed his joy at being part of this blessed gathering. He said that we are all one human family, united in spirit. Whenever we come together and spend time with one another, we express the same love, respect, and goodwill. We pray for the peace, development, and safety of our beloved country. He emphasized that during these blessed days, we all seek God’s grace and protection not only for ourselves but also for one another. He prayed that everyone present may receive abundant blessings from Almighty God and that this day may remain a source of spiritual joy for all. He concluded by wishing that the holy month of Ramadan may be a blessing for everyone.
Fr. James Channan OP Director, Peace Center
Fr. James said that today, the Christian delegation has gathered at the historic Badshahi Mosque in Lahore. One of the grand royal mosques of the world. This magnificent mosque was built in 1672 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir and gremains a symbol of architectural beauty and spiritual heritage. It is renowned worldwide and has the capacity to accommodate nearly 100,000 worshippers at one time. We feel deeply honored that Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, the Grand Imam of Badshahi Mosque, graciously welcomed our delegation for this Joint Iftari dinner alongside our Muslim brothers and sisters. As both Christians and Muslims are observing seasons of fasting Ramadan and Lent this gathering is a blessed manifestation of unity and solidarity.
Furthermore, he said that this is our country. Pakistan belongs to all of us. We pray for our homeland, for our Armed Forces, and for every citizen of Pakistan. Our land is a land of believers Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs all living together in harmony. Today, as we gather here, we pray that Pakistan may always remain peaceful and that its people may continue to live in mutual respect and brotherhood. Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad is a great example of interfaith harmony and leadership. For the past three decades, he and I have worked together to promote peace, especially through Christian Muslim dialogue. Today’s gathering is truly the fruit of that long and sincere effort.
I am also thankful to the Christian delegation and all participating communities. Together, we pray that Almighty God may bless Pakistan with lasting peace and unity. At the conclusion of this gathering, he said that, I had the honor of presenting to Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad a photograph taken during his visit to Italy with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, as a symbol of global interfaith friendship and goodwill. May God bless Pakistan and strengthen the bonds of peace among us all.
Prepared by
Fr. Adil Ashraf OP
Bursar Peace Center Lahore
Date: March 2, 2026
