PCBF hosts Cardinal Coutts, activists, and business leaders to discuss community issues

Karachi: The Pakistani Christian Business Forum (PCBF) convened a high-level meeting with Cardinal Joseph Coutts, minority rights activists, lawyers, and business leaders to discuss issues affecting the Christian community.

The event was organized by Parviaz Gill, Chairman of the Pakistani Christian Business Forum Karachi, in collaboration with Joseph Janssen, a minority rights activist; Shahid Mobeen, President of the Roundtable on Religious Freedom (Italy); and lawyer Shahbaz Sohtra. Prominent businessmen including Basharat Athwal, Fabian Khursheed, and Adeeb Asim also participated.

The gathering focused on the urgent need for economic, legal, and social interventions to support the Christian community.

Speaking at the meeting, Joseph Janssen highlighted key concerns, including false blasphemy accusations, forced religious conversions, and bonded labor.

Cardinal Joseph Coutts emphasized the need for Christian business leaders to leverage their resources and influence in the pursuit of justice. He urged them to move beyond acts of charity and instead embrace their spiritual responsibility as stewards of justice. This, he stressed, includes creating dignified employment opportunities for marginalized Christians, funding legal defense for victims of religious violence, supporting faith-sensitive education, and establishing rehabilitation centers for survivors of persecution.

He also called on business leaders to speak out in public forums, collaborate with civil society, and advocate for policy reforms aimed at dismantling institutional discrimination.

Business stakeholders present at the meeting expressed their commitment to holding monthly meetings to continue addressing these issues and to ensure equal rights and protection for members of minority communities.

Joseph Janssen also urged for coordinated efforts to launch vocational training programs, fund legal aid initiatives, support women-led businesses, and develop long-term strategies for community empowerment.