Visit of H.E. Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations of the Holy See, to Pakistan (8–10 October 2026)
At the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations of the Holy See, will undertake an official visit to Pakistan from 8 to 10 October 2026. This will be the first-ever visit to Pakistan by a Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations of the Holy See. The visit also coincides with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the Holy See.
During the visit, Archbishop Gallagher will meet with the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister to discuss matters of mutual interest, including interfaith harmony, dialogue and peace, as well as regional and international developments. The Archbishop is also expected to call on the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Archbishop Gallagher will also interact with members of the Catholic community in Pakistan.
The visit marks an important milestone in the longstanding relations between Pakistan and the Holy See and reflects their shared commitment to further strengthening mutual understanding, cooperation and trust, while promoting interfaith harmony and peace.
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
