ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered his condolences to the Christian community on Monday over the passing of Pope Francis, describing him as a strong advocate of interfaith harmony and peace. 

The Vatican announced Francis’ death in a video statement on Monday. The first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, his death ended an often-turbulent reign marked by division and tension as he sought to overhaul the hidebound institution.

The pope was 88 and had survived a serious bout of double pneumonia.

“The passing of Pope Francis is an irreparable loss for the entire world, especially the Christian community,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office. 

“On behalf of the government of Pakistan and the people of Pakistan, I extend heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the Vatican City, the global Christian community and all his admirers around the world.”

Pope Francis called for a ceasefire in Gaza during his brief appearance before thousands of Catholic pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the Vatican’s open-air Easter Sunday mass. 

Sharif praised Francis for calling for the cessation of hostilities in Gaza, saying it was reflective of his “deeply humane” character. 

“Under his leadership, the Catholic Church spread the message of love, tolerance, and mutual respect across the world,” he said. 

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope on Mar. 13, 2013, surprising many church watchers who had seen the Argentine cleric, known for his concern for the poor, as an outsider.

He sought to project simplicity into the grand role and never took possession of the ornate papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace used by his predecessors, saying he preferred to live in a community setting for his “psychological health.”

He inherited a church under attack over a child sex abuse scandal and torn by infighting in the Vatican bureaucracy, and was elected with a clear mandate to restore order.

But as his papacy progressed, he faced fierce criticism from conservatives, who accused him of trashing cherished traditions. He also drew the ire of progressives, who felt he should have done much more to reshape the 2,000-year-old church.

While he struggled with internal dissent, Francis became a global superstar, drawing huge crowds on his many foreign travels as he tirelessly promoted interfaith dialogue and peace, taking the side of the marginalized, such as migrants.

With additional input from Reuters

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has deported 979,486 Afghan nationals since the government launched an expulsion drive against illegal foreigners in 2023, state-run media reported on Monday, reiterating that authorities are ensuring their return takes place in a “dignified” manner. 

Islamabad launched the deportation campaign in November 2023, asking all foreigners without legal documentation to leave the country. Earlier this year, it launched the second phase of deportations, setting a deadline of Mar. 31 for people with Afghan Citizen Cards (ACCs) — which since 2017 have granted temporary legal status to Afghans — to leave the country or face being deported.

According to United Nations data, Pakistan has hosted more than 2.8 million Afghan nationals who crossed the border in a desperate attempt to escape decades of war and instability in their home country. Around 1.3 million are formally registered as refugees and hold Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, which grant them legal protection. Another 800,000 Afghans possess ACCs, a separate identity document issued by the Pakistani government that recognizes them as Afghan nationals without conferring refugee status.

“The total number of illegal Afghan nationals leaving Pakistan has reached 979,486,” Radio Pakistan said in a report. “Three thousand, three hundred and eighty-seven illegal Afghan nationals were sent back to their homeland yesterday [Sunday].”

Pakistan established a 24/7 federal control room on Sunday to assist Afghan nationals and respond to harassment complaints during their repatriation. The decision came a day after Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Kabul to discuss with the Afghan Taliban the issues linked to the mass return of Afghan nationals. 

Last week during his visit to Pakistan, Afghan refugees minister proposed the formation of a high-level committee comprising officials from Pakistan, Afghanistan and relevant international organizations to address “refugee-related issues in a coordinated manner.”

Afghanistan has called for the peaceful and coordinated repatriation of its citizens amid reports of arrests and harassment during Pakistan’s mass expulsion drive. Islamabad denies the accusations and has urged Kabul to facilitate the reintegration of its citizens.

Pakistan’s deportation policy in 2023 followed a rise in militant attacks, particularly in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan. Islamabad has in the past blamed militant attacks and other crimes on Afghan citizens, who form the largest portion of migrants in the country.

The government says militants, especially from the Pakistani Taliban also known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), are using safe havens in Afghanistan and links with Afghans residing in Pakistan to launch cross-border attacks. The ruling administration in Kabul has rejected the accusations.