Islamabad: Days after he angered Christians by comparing fiery cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri to the Pope, Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik met a delegation of the minority community’s leaders and extended “heart-felt apologies” for hurting their feelings by his “uncalled for” remarks.
Malik invited a delegation of Christian leaders led by National Supreme Council of Bishops Chairman Ishaq Mazhar Sandhu to his office on Monday and formally apologised for his remarks.
He contended he had made the remarks unintentionally and in the “heat of the moment.”
Malik, known for his penchant for making off-the-cuff statements, had earned the ire of Christians by comparing Qadri to the Pope last week during the firebrand cleric’s anti-government protest. “I assure you gentlemen that I had no intentions to hurt anybody’s religious feelings and whatever happened was absolutely unintended, though uncalled for.
“I myself received my early education in missionary schools and I respect not only Christians for their faith and beliefs but all the religions of the world and their followers, as that is the basic teaching of Islam,” Malik was quoted as saying by the media.
He extended his “heart-felt apologies” to the minority Christian community for hurting their feelings. “I hope you will understand the situation and accept my apology,” he said.
Sandhu, who was accompanied by pastors Patras Salamat and Mushtaque Hakim, accepted Malik’s apology. (PTI)
