Vatican's top diplomat Gallagher begins first-ever visit to Pakistan
Vatican’s top diplomat Gallagher begins first-ever visit to Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations, arrives in Pakistan on Thursday for a three-day official visit. The Gallagher Pakistan visit is the first by a holder of the office and coincides with 75 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the Holy See.
The Foreign Office announced the visit on Wednesday through a curtain-raiser press release. Gallagher is travelling at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, with the programme running from October 8 to 10.
Talks with Dar and Shehbaz Sharif on the agenda
During the visit, Gallagher will meet Dar to discuss matters of mutual interest, including interfaith harmony, dialogue and peace, as well as regional and international developments, the Foreign Office said.
He is also expected to call on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. In addition to the official meetings, Gallagher will interact with members of the Catholic community in Pakistan.
The Foreign Office described the trip as an important milestone in the longstanding relations between the two sides, reflecting what it called their shared commitment to strengthening mutual understanding, cooperation and trust.
Gallagher Pakistan visit marks a first in 75 years of ties
Pakistan and the Holy See established diplomatic relations in 1951, so the visit falls in the 75th-anniversary year of the relationship. The Holy See maintains an Apostolic Nunciature in Islamabad, while Pakistan is represented at the Holy See through its diplomatic mission.
Over the decades, Pakistan has kept up engagement with the Holy See on interfaith dialogue, religious harmony and peace. Earlier this year, Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gillani attended the inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV at St Peter’s Square in May, a gesture the government framed as a commitment to interfaith harmony and respect for the Catholic community worldwide.
Gallagher serves as the Vatican’s foreign minister in all but name. He has been at the centre of Pope Leo XIV’s diplomatic outreach this year, undertaking a mission to Ukraine in July and travelling to Moscow in August, where he held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and presidential aide Yury Ushakov.
His arrival in Islamabad continues a busy diplomatic calendar for Pakistan. The Vatican visit follows the Bahrain foreign minister’s two-day trip to co-chair the Joint Ministerial Commission and comes a day after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met Field Marshal Asim Munir at GHQ in Rawalpindi.
Related: Bahrain’s foreign minister arrives in Islamabad for two-day visit
Related: UN chief meets Field Marshal Munir at GHQ, hails Pakistan’s push for peaceful settlement of disputes
Related: Pakistani troops have served in Saudi Arabia ‘for decades’, says DG ISPR
Related: Putin offers to mediate Middle East war as US aircraft losses in Iran hit 81
Frequently asked questions
Who is Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher?
He is the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations of the Holy See, effectively the Vatican’s foreign minister. He manages the Holy See’s diplomatic relations with states and international organisations.
Why is this visit historic?
It is the first-ever visit to Pakistan by a holder of this office. It also falls in the 75th-anniversary year of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the Holy See, which were established in 1951.
What will Gallagher discuss in Pakistan?
His meetings with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar are expected to cover interfaith harmony, dialogue and peace, along with regional and international developments. He is also expected to call on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and meet members of Pakistan’s Catholic community.
