VATICAN CITY, Saturday – PM Shehbaz Sharif has nominated two ministers to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected Catholic leader, Pope Leo XIV, according to state-run Radio Pakistan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz received a formal invitation to the event and selected Minister of State for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Kheal Das Kohistani and Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora to represent Pakistan at the ceremony.
Cardinal Robert Prevost, elected earlier this month in a surprise move, assumed the papal name Leo XIV. He became the first American pope and the 267th leader of the Catholic Church, following the death of Pope Francis last month. Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, led the Church for 12 years and initiated several modernizing reforms.
Pope Leo’s oath-taking will take place tomorrow in Vatican City. The Pakistani ministers will join other global leaders and dignitaries at the high-profile religious event.
In his first public message last week, Pope Leo welcomed the Pakistan-India ceasefire. He expressed hope for lasting peace through negotiations and praised both countries for choosing dialogue over conflict.
The pope also addressed the ongoing violence in Gaza. He voiced deep sorrow over the humanitarian crisis, called for an immediate ceasefire, and urged the release of hostages. “No more war!” he declared, echoing the late Pope Francis.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs confirmed the participation of Pakistani officials as a gesture of interfaith harmony and diplomatic engagement with the Vatican.
PM Shehbaz continues to emphasize peaceful diplomacy and global religious outreach.
