Catholic and Protestant Church leaders in southern Pakistan have urged stronger security measures and legal protection for religious minorities during a meeting with the Regional Police Officer (RPO) of Multan on August 19.
Bishop Yousaf Sohan of the Catholic Diocese of Multan led an eight-member delegation of Church and civil society representatives in talks with RPO Usman Akram Gondal at his office in Multan.
The delegation raised concerns over security threats to churches, discrimination, false blasphemy allegations and safety risks in Christian-populated areas. It also highlighted cases involving the abduction, forced conversion and forced marriage of Christian women and girls.
The delegation included Bishop Roderick Leo Paul of the Church of Pakistan; Fr. Daniel Taj, vicar general of the Catholic Diocese of Multan; Pastors Faheem Shahzad and Atif Masih of the Church of Pakistan; Samuel Clement, director of Caritas Multan; Abid Paul, coordinator of the National Commission for Justice and Peace; and Hyacinth Peter of the Dominican Justice and Peace Commission in Multan.
Bishop Yousaf Sohan called for equal protection under Pakistan’s Constitution and urged police and local authorities to take preventive measures against threats to vulnerable communities.
He also stressed the need for police and administration officials to remain accessible to Christian families seeking protection and assistance.
Bishop Roderick Leo Paul called for stronger cooperation between religious leaders and authorities, including transparent investigations and equal enforcement of the law. He said such measures were important for restoring public confidence and strengthening interfaith harmony.
Hyacinth Peter proposed dedicated monitoring and reporting mechanisms within local police departments to ensure complaints are registered promptly, cases are tracked and police coordinate effectively at the local level.
RPO Usman Akram Gondal assured the delegation of police cooperation and said authorities would work to protect religious minorities, maintain public security and safeguard religious freedom in Multan and surrounding areas.
He also encouraged Church and civil society representatives to maintain direct communication with the Regional Police Office when urgent intervention is required.
The meeting followed an August 14 engagement between Church leaders and Additional Chief Secretary of South Punjab Fawad Hashim Rabbani during Independence and Minority Day observances at the provincial Secretariat.
During that meeting, the delegation led by Bishop Yousaf Sohan and Bishop Roderick Leo Paul presented concerns affecting religious minorities. Additional Chief Secretary Rabbani directed the relevant authorities to address the issues and referred security-related concerns to the Regional Police Office.
The latest meeting reflects continued engagement between Christian leaders and government authorities in southern Punjab on the protection of religious minorities and the promotion of equal rights and interfaith harmony.
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