The Institute of Regional Studies, together with the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Pakistan and the International Islamic University Islamabad, organised a seminar on Interfaith Dialogue to review outcomes of the 8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. The event brought together religious scholars, government officials, diplomats and academics to discuss initiatives that promote peace, religious tolerance and mutual understanding.
Speakers included Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mr. Muhammad Sardar Yousaf, State Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Kesoo Mal Kheal Das, and Provincial Minister for Minorities Mr. Ramesh Singh Arora. Representatives from Kazakhstan and the Church of Jesus Christ in the United States, including Mr. Kelly Johnson, spoke alongside Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Director General of the Islamic Research Institute, each emphasising that cooperation among diverse faiths and cultures is indispensable to peaceful coexistence.
In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, President of the Institute of Regional Studies, highlighted the growing need for sustained Interfaith Dialogue amid rising global polarisation. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to advancing religious harmony and praised Kazakhstan’s role in creating platforms such as the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions to foster respectful engagement among faith communities.
Delivering a welcome address, H.E. Mr. Yerzhan Kistafin, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Pakistan, reiterated Kazakhstan’s dedication to global peace and interreligious cooperation and said the 8th Congress held in Astana reflects a belief that dialogue is the only sustainable path to a peaceful world order. Ambassador Kistafin underscored the historical and cultural ties between Kazakhstan and Pakistan and noted that the “Spirit of Astana” continues to inspire mutual respect and tolerance.
The seminar reviewed key outcomes of the 8th Congress in Astana on 17–18 September 2025, which gathered spiritual leaders and experts from more than 100 countries and centred on peace as humanity’s most essential value. Participants at the Islamabad event stressed that open, meaningful engagement between faith communities helps build trust, dispel misconceptions and strengthen societal resilience.
Diplomats, researchers, journalists and students from leading academic institutions attended the seminar, which reinforced Pakistan’s ongoing role in regional interfaith initiatives. Speakers and attendees alike called for continued dialogue and cooperative action to translate the Congress outcomes into practical steps for promoting religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
