The IRF Roundtable Pakistan organized its annual session at a local hotel in Lahore, convening a broad and diverse gathering of pastors, religious leaders, business professionals, intellectuals, civil society representatives, and Christian and Muslim scholars. The session focused on interfaith harmony, minority rights, women’s empowerment, and the path toward inclusive national development in Pakistan.

Participants from varied backgrounds exchanged perspectives on strengthening social cohesion and promoting equal opportunities for all citizens — a conversation that, organizers said, reflects an urgent national need at a time of growing polarization and political uncertainty.

Mufti Syed Ashiq Hussain opened his remarks by grounding the discussion in Islamic principles, stating that Islam explicitly teaches the protection of minorities and respect for their places of worship. He called for a revival of the founding vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah — a Pakistan where every citizen, regardless of faith or background, enjoys equal rights and equal dignity under the law.

Author and journalist Junaid Qaiser called for the construction of a new national narrative — one rooted in equal rights, inclusion, and contemporary realities. He argued that Pakistan must move beyond inherited frameworks and embrace modern ideas and policies that genuinely reflect the aspirations of its diverse population.

Renowned evangelist Mishal Kashan turned attention to women’s empowerment and emancipation, underscoring that legal awareness among women is not a peripheral concern but a foundational one. “Women play a central role in families and society,” she said, calling for expanded efforts to educate women about their rights and the opportunities available to them.

Tamoor Sandhu, Senior Vice President of the Christian Business Fellowship, addressed the session’s economic dimension, arguing that creating a truly conducive business environment is the most reliable mechanism for reducing discrimination and providing equal economic opportunities to marginalized communities across Pakistan.

The session’s keynote was delivered by Kashif Mirza, Coordinator of IRF Roundtable Pakistan, who presented a detailed overview of minority welfare spending in Punjab — providing both encouragement and pointed concern in equal measure.

Mirza noted that Punjab remains the largest provincial investor in minority welfare in Pakistan, having increased its allocation from Rs 2.654 billion to Rs 7.782 billion over the past five fiscal years — a nearly threefold nominal increase. Even accounting for inflation, he said, Punjab has maintained a real-term increase in minority welfare spending while many other governments have seen contractions in comparable expenditures.

However, Mirza did not allow the figures to speak without scrutiny. He expressed pointed concern over year-to-year fluctuations in the Minority Development Fund, arguing that inconsistency in allocations reflects annual political discretion rather than principled, long-term planning for minority communities.

He further flagged significant discrepancies in financial reporting: more than Rs 1.4 billion in minority-related spending for 2025–26 had been routed through local government channels rather than through the main minorities department — a routing arrangement he said undermines accountability and obscures the true picture of how public money is being spent.

The session drew participation from a wide range of voices in religious, civic, and community life. Their contributions spanned interfaith cooperation, social inclusion, minority rights, and community development.

The session concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Bishop Kashan George, who expressed appreciation to religious leaders, civil society members, and all guests for contributing to what he described as a meaningful and necessary dialogue. His closing remarks framed the gathering not as an endpoint but as a step in an ongoing commitment to building a more inclusive and harmonious Pakistan.

The IRF Roundtable Pakistan annual session stands as one of the few forums in the country where Muslim and Christian scholars, business leaders, and civil society voices convene on equal footing to confront the challenges facing Pakistan’s minority communities — and to hold the state accountable to its founding ideals.