KARACHI (UCAN): “You can come and set up your camp at the cathedral compound. We will coordinate and work together from this camp in providing food to those affected by the lockdown,” Father Saleh Diego told the Jafaria Disaster Management Cell (JDC), when the Archdiocese of Karachi agreed to let the prominent Muslim charity up a food collection and distribution camp at St. Patrick’s Cathedral during the Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic.
Father Diego, vicar general of the archdiocese, granted permission on behalf of Joseph Cardinal Coutts after visiting the main office of the non-profit organisation on April 16.
The priest said he was impressed to see it had employed so many Christian volunteers to carry out relief work without any religious discrimination.
“I am thankful to Zafar Abbas and all JDC volunteers who are working round the clock to provide food to our brothers, sisters and children in this hour of difficulty. Indeed, it really is a love of God that he shares through people like Zafar Abbas, and by coming here I am really impressed that so many volunteers work here,” Father Diego said.
JDC chief, Zafar Abbas, thanked Cardinal Coutts and the Catholic Church for lending their support in setting up the camp at the cathedral.
“We have a dedicated team of Christian volunteers who have already distributed ration bags among 4,000 minority families,” Abbas said.
“Cardinal Coutts always sends us gifts and food bags during the holy month of Ramadan. We really appreciate his gesture,” he said, adding that the support he receives from the Catholic Church was a great example of interfaith harmony.
As of April 21, the number of Covid-19 infections in Pakistan stood at 8,418 with 176 deaths.
