Catholic leaders in Pakistan have joined calls for calm and dialogue as tensions with India intensify, following deadly cross-border attacks that have sparked fears of a wider conflict in the disputed Kashmir region.
“In Pakistan, people are concerned about the growing tensions with India. The elderly remember the war,” said Father Qaisar Feroz, OFM Cap, President of SIGNIS Pakistan and Executive Secretary of the Social Communications Commission of the Episcopal Conference of Pakistan.
“There is a certain fear among the population, given the escalation on the border, the firefights, and the victims. We are not far from the Indian border and Kashmir, which increases fears,” he told Fides News Agency.
Father Feroz’s remarks came after the Indian army confirmed an exchange of small arms and artillery fire overnight along the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border in Kashmir.
The skirmishes followed India’s missile strikes on what it claimed were “terrorist camps” in Pakistan, actions that have been met with outrage in Islamabad.
Pakistani authorities said 31 civilians were killed by Indian strikes and shelling, while India reported at least 12 deaths from Pakistani fire.
In a national address, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed Pakistan would “avenge” those killed, further heightening regional tensions.
“Public opinion, seeing the constant increase in violence, including verbal violence, sees the risk of a new war growing,” Father Feroz said, adding that the rhetoric from both sides was fueling unrest.
The priest observed that political leaders from both India and Pakistan appeared to be intensifying the conflict, and stressed the urgent need for reasoned dialogue and peace-oriented discourse focused on the welfare of their respective populations.
The Capuchin priest also raised concern over what he described as a growing “water conflict,” pointing to India’s control over water sources in Kashmir.
“We see that the conflict has also led to a ‘water conflict,’ because the springs are located on Indian territory, and India has closed them to Pakistan. This will have an impact on the poor and civilian population, which is very bitter for us and at the same time underlines the seriousness of the situation,” he said.
In response to the escalating violence, religious communities in Pakistan have organized interfaith initiatives that bring together political leaders and faith groups in efforts to foster dialogue and prevent further bloodshed.
Among those involved are Franciscans and Dominicans, who have joined in appealing to authorities to prioritize peace and reconciliation.
Father Feroz stressed that Pakistan’s Christian community stands behind the call for de-escalation. “The Christians in Pakistan support this appeal and pray for de-escalation so that the threads of negotiations can be re-twisted. Violence is a defeat under all circumstances and at all times.”
World leaders have urged restraint amid the rapidly unfolding crisis. U.S. President Donald Trump called for an end to hostilities, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi—following a visit to Islamabad—is expected to meet Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi in an attempt to mediate.
India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed, have fought multiple wars since the 1947 partition, with Kashmir remaining a flashpoint.
The ecclesiastical jurisdiction covering Pakistan-administered Kashmir falls under the Archdiocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi, where the Oblates of Mary Immaculate maintain a mission presence.
