Columban Fr Robert McCulloch meets Sindh Chief Minister

Columban Fr Robert McCulloch (third, left) the Procurator General of Society of St. Columban in Rome with Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah (next to Fr Robert, right) and Special Assistant to CM for Inter-Faith Harmony Anthony Naveed.KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that he was working hard to develop interfaith harmony in the province.

“When you have a tolerant society you can grow in each and every sector and the society of Sindh is above the religious and sectarian bigots.”

The Chief Minister was speaking to Columban Fr Robert McCulloch, the Procurator General of the Society of St Columban in Rome, who called on him at the Chief Minister's House. The meeting was also attended by Special Assistant to Chief Minister for Inter-Faith Harmony, Anthony Naveed.

Chief Minister Murad said that people of different religions have lived in Sindh since centuries. He appreciated the enormous contribution and service of the Catholic Church through educational institutions and hospitals. Fr Robert expressed the commitment of the Catholic Church to work in collaboration with the Sindh government in the promotion of human rights especially religious freedom and in expanding human development works in education and health care. Discussion about immediate cooperation focused on expanding and improving health care in interior Sindh and rural Hyderabad.

The Chief Minister and Fr Robert agreed how important it is to nurture the international image of Pakistan. The chief minister said that people of Sindh are far away from terrorism, religious and sectarian considerations. “Tolerance is the foundation of co-existence,” he said. Fr Robert noted from his experience of living in Sindh from 1983-2011, before being appointed to Rome, that the culture of Sindh is unique and enables it to rise above religious and sectarian bigotry.

The Chief Minister presented a Sindhi cap and Ajrak to Fr Robert and thanked him for visiting him.

 

Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah meets Columban Fr Robert McCulloch, Procurator General of St Columbans Mission Society. - (Click here to watch meeting)