WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Masood Khan, told pastors and Christian leaders of Atlanta, the capital of US state of Georgia, that the Pakistani government is moving swiftly to bring to book those behind the deadly violence in Jaranwala that traumatized the town’s residents. “The actions of August 16 do not represent our society or our religion, which is a religion of peace for humanity,” the ambassador said during a virtual meeting with the clergymen. Organized by the Pakistani-American Friends of Atlanta Team (PAFA), the meeting was joined, among others, by Gloria Joseph, Sharoon Farhat, Solomon Luke, Jonathan Massey, Flavia Bharadwaj, David Cecil, Dr. Nasir Sohtra, Javed Stephen Massey, Cyril Benjamin and Rev. Younis Farhat. “Ours was and will continue to be an inclusive society and the actions of August 16 are beyond condemnation,” he said. “It was a dark day for Pakistan– innocent people were traumatized and churches were burnt and desecrated. Pakistan’s leadership, civil society, and the heads of religious parties across the spectrum have condemned the incident,” he pointed out. The Ambassador said that Pakistanis have lived together as a society and “we were proud of the contribution made by our Christian brethren towards the socio-economic development of the country.” He also called upon the Pak-American community to help heal the wounds of the affected people. The participants expressed appreciation for the firm resolve shown by the leadership of the country in rejecting the deplorable acts. They also underscore the need for effective steps to prevent misuse of laws, particularly targeting vulnerable communities. The Ambassador thanked the participants for expressing solidarity with the victims of Jaranwala. He assured continued conversation and engagement with the community leaders to overcome the challenges faced by the country stemming from the tide of extremism.
