The joy of witnessing Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration was quickly overshadowed by the harsh reality: Pakistan once again overlooked Christian representation at a landmark Vatican ceremony. Isn’t this completely irrelevant? We are a broken country, consistently missing key opportunities to demonstrate our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and fair representation of all faiths. It is disturbing that this is happening.

The Pope’s inauguration is far more than a ceremonial welcome; it is a monumental event on the world stage-an opportunity for nations to demonstrate their foreign policy values and their commitment to safeguard the Christian faith within their borders.

This moment also offers a valuable opportunity for the world’s democracies to reflect on the essential role of states and their institutions in fostering unity and collective progress. More importantly, it underscores the global significance of Christian communities-not only in representing their countries on cross-cultural platforms, but also in making meaningful advances in their civil and economic rights.

Pope Leo XIV expressed his hope for the Catholic Church to serve as a “small heaven of unity” amid an era marked by “too much discord and too many wounds.” He made the statement during his inaugural Papal Mass, which was attended by global leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, and Marco Rubio United States Secretary of State.

According to the Vatican some 200,000 people attended the Mass at St. Peter’s Square, which marked the start of the pontificate of the first American to lead the Roman........

© Daily Times