PAKISTAN: Archbishop of Canterbury visits tent village for Pakistan's quake survivers

Record ID: 872935

  • Title: PAKISTAN: Archbishop of Canterbury visits tent village for Pakistan's quake survivers
  • Date: 24th November 2005
  • Summary: ARCHBISHOP WALKING IN FOR NEWS BRIEFING
  • Embargoed: 9th December 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Pakistan
  • City:
  • Country: Pakistan
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVAAJKWHXUYTY7DVELKJW899VKBA
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, on a week-long visit to Pakistan, visited a tent village for earthquake survivers in Islamabad on Monday (November 23) The October 8 earthquake killed more than 73,000 people, most of them in Pakistani Kashmir, injured almost an equal number and left hundreds of thousands homeless. During his tour of the tent village, the head of the Anglican church visited a sewing centre where women survivers are being taught to stitch clothes. "We've also been able in our time here in Pakistan to visit one of the tented villages. I have to say I'm deeply impressed by the efficiency and by the speed with which the whole community has responded to the crisis in relation to the earthquake. And I'm most impressed by the way in which the talents and the skills of those affected by the disaster are being creatively used in these camps. These people are not being left to be victims; they are being helped, trained and given back their dignity and their freedom," the Archbishop told reporters after a meeting with the Pakistani prime minister Shaukat Aziz. Talking to the Archbishop and members of his delegation, the prime minister said Islam was a religion of peace and tolerance and rejected extremism. According to a government handout, Aziz told the Archbishop the government was trying to promote interfaith harmony and the situation in the country had improved considerably. Christians comprise around one percent of Pakistan's 150 million overwhelmingly Muslim-majority population. Small, but violent extremists Islamic groups, have a history of targetting religious minorities in Pakistan. "I'm also very pleased to be able to have open discussions about the future of dialogue between the great Faiths in this country," said the Archbishop, who had met president Musharraf on Tuesday (November 22). "I know that there have been recent and very sharp tensions but I'm convinced that there is great willingness at leadership level to engage constructively, positively with the agenda of relations between the great Faiths of the world. And I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to raise these issues." Officials accompanying the Archbishop said the visit is part of his role as Head of the Anglican Church and would also take him to visit Christians in the central city of Lahore and in Peshawar in the North West Frontier Province.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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