2026 Pakistan Delegates

Director, Peace Center, Pakistan
Fr Dr James Channan OP is a Pakistani Christian and a Dominican priest. He is a motivational speaker, administrator, professor, and personality in the field of Christian-Muslim dialogue and interfaith harmony. Appointed by Pope John Paul II, he served as Consultant to the Vatican Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims for 15 years, and to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, the Vatican. For 40 years, Fr. Channan has been engaged in promoting Christian-Muslim dialogue and harmony in Pakistan and around the globe. He has participated in more than 100 international conferences and participated in several sessions of the United Nations. In 2025, he was invited by the Government of the United States to participate in the National Prayer Breakfast and by the Vatican to the celebration of Nostra Aetate in 2025. He has received more than 100 awards for promoting interfaith harmony. He has lectured on interfaith harmony and Christian-Muslim dialogue at Helsinki University, Finland, Turku University, Finland, Dongguk University, South Korea, Norte Dame University, South Bend, USA, Yale University, among others. Fr. Channan is the author of four books: Christian Muslim Dialogue in Pakistan, Path of Love: A Call for Interfaith Harmony, Pakistan Main Masihi Muslim Mukalma, and Muhabat Ka Rasta.

Chairperson, Resilient Women Network, Founder/Coordinator of Freedom of Religion or Belief Leadership Network & former Senior Parliamentarian in the National Assembly, Pakistan
Asiya Nasir is a renowned politician, multi-time Member of the National Assembly (2002-2018), human rights defender, philanthropist, and social worker. She holds a master’s degree in English literature. She participated in the First National Security Workshop at National Defence University and is a founding member of the Women’s Parliamentarian Caucus, the Young Parliamentarians Forum, and the International Panel of Parliamentarians for the Freedom of Religion or Belief. She has participated in several Parliamentary friendship groups with other countries, and has been a member of standing committees on planning and development, defence production, and the National Commission on the Status of Minorities. She served as parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2009. Mrs. Ashir represented Pakistan at various international forums and has been a member of several national and international organisations such as the Asian women parliamentary caucus. Currently, she is the chairperson of Resilient Women Network and the coordinator for Freedom of Religion or Belief Leadership Network Pakistan. She has been a strong voice in and outside of parliament, advocating for the rights of minorities, particularly on the issues of forced conversions and marriages of Christian girls and blasphemy laws impacting the lives of faith-based minority groups. Her vision is that religious minorities live a life of dignity as equal citizens in Pakistan, regardless of their caste, creed, or religion.

Executive Director, Human Friends Organization, Pakistan

Sajid Christopher is the President/Executive Director of the Human Friends Organization (HFO), a Lahore-based peace and human rights organization working to promote interfaith harmony, counter violent extremism, and strengthen freedom of religion and belief in Pakistan. With over three decades of professional experience, he has led the implementation of major peacebuilding and human rights initiatives in collaboration with national institutions and international donor agencies including USIP, USAID, Stefanus Alliance International, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Freedom House, and Minority Rights Group International (UK). He has worked closely with parliamentarians, religious leaders, civil society activists, and government departments to advance minority rights and strengthen protective legislation. Sajid has also played a key role in supporting vulnerable communities during major incidents of violence, and founded a high school providing quality education to disadvantaged children in Youhanabad, Lahore. He holds an MBA in Finance and a master’s degree in Urdu from the University of the Punjab. In recognition of his outstanding services, Sajid Christopher has been awarded six times by the Government of Punjab, Pakistan, for his remarkable work in promoting and protecting human rights, particularly religious freedom and interfaith harmony. He has also received several shields of appreciation from national and international organizations for his contributions.

President, Major Superior Leadership Conference Pakistan, Pakistan

Reverend Father Pascal Paulus, O.P., is a dedicated priest of the Dominican Order with three decades of faithful service in Pakistan. For 30 years, his ministry has been characterized by a profound commitment to teaching, preaching, and, most notably, fostering interfaith harmony in a complex societal landscape. His work bridges communities, promoting dialogue and mutual respect rooted in the Gospel values of peace and love. In recognition of his leadership, dedication, and deep understanding of the local Church, Fr. Pascal now serves as the Vice Provincial of the Ibn-e-Mariam Vice Province (Pakistan). In this role, he guides the mission of the Order, supporting his brothers in their religious, educational, and pastoral endeavors. He continues to be a steadfast witness to faith, hope, and unity, shepherding his community with wisdom and compassion.

Executive Director, Youth Development Foundation, Pakistan
Shahid Rehmat has over 15 years of experience advancing minority rights, interfaith harmony, and social cohesion through policy engagement and grassroots leadership. He is the founder of the Youth Development Foundation (YDF), a national youth resilience movement with 25,000+ alumni across 60+ districts working on minority inclusion and P/CVE. As CEO of Acceptance for Inclusion (A4I) Global, he leads technology- and research-driven initiatives to counter hate crimes, including Islamophobia in Canada and the United States. His work includes Harmony Checker and direct support to minority communities through complaint handling, crisis response, and early-warning mechanisms. He contributed to drafting Pakistan’s first Interfaith Harmony Policy and serves as a core member of the Chief Minister’s Minority Advisory Council. He regularly engages with parliamentarians and policymakers and is recognized for a non-partisan, evidence-based approach trusted by state institutions and minorities. He holds MSc degrees with research focused on shrinking civic spaces in Pakistan, directly relevant to minority rights and democratic governance. His engagement with international platforms, including the Atlantic Council (South Asia Center), Paris Peace Forum, IRF Summit (Washington, DC), Acton University (USA), and the UK FoRB Forum.

Professor of Law, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Pakistan
Dr. Sikander Ahmed Shah is a founding member of the Law School at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Pakistan. He holds a BA in Economics and a Juris Doctor (cum laude) from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and an interdisciplinary PhD from Indiana University Bloomington. Dr. Shah has served as visiting faculty at Temple University Beasley School of Law, Wayne State University Law School, the University of Michigan Law School, and the Maurer School of Law at Indiana University Bloomington. His teaching, research, and advisory work focus on Public International Law, Human Rights, Refugee Law, and Constitutionalism, with a particular emphasis on freedom of religion or belief, minority protections, and interfaith harmony in plural societies. He has advised governments and civil society organizations on international law and human rights compliance, served as Legal Advisor to the Foreign Minister of Pakistan (2012–2013), and authored two books and numerous scholarly articles, while leading training programs for judges, civil servants, and academics in the Global South.

Senate, Pakistan
Senator Khalil Tahir Sandhu is a senior Pakistani parliamentarian, Member of the Senate of Pakistan, and an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, with over two decades of public service at both provincial and federal levels. He has served four times as Provincial Minister for Human Rights and Minority Affairs and also held key portfolios as Provincial Minister for Law and Provincial Minister for Health in the Government of Punjab. Currently, he serves as Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights and is a senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (N). Widely respected for his leadership on human rights, minority protection, constitutional governance, and interfaith harmony, Senator Sandhu played a leading role in advancing inclusive policy reforms and strengthening parliamentary oversight and continues to represent Pakistan nationally and internationally on issues of religious freedom, social cohesion, and democratic governance.

Vice Chair of South Asia Forum for Freedom of Religion or Belief; Director of Programs, Human Friends Organisation, Pakistan
With 15 years of experience as a development practitioner, Sobia Batool Shah has focused on peacebuilding and conflict resolution, particularly in advancing human rights for marginalized groups, including religious minorities and women. Her work centers on women’s empowerment, promoting freedom of religion and belief, interfaith harmony, and advocating for policy reforms that safeguard religious freedoms and gender-based discrimination. She has led and contributed to initiatives aimed at raising awareness, countering religious intolerance, and addressing conflicts arising from religious discrimination with special focus on women and youth. As the Director of Programs at Human Friends Organization, Sobia has designed multiple large-scale peace and conflict resolution programs, funded by organizations such as the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), United Nation Development Programs (UNDP) the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and Stefanus Alliance International (SAI), focused on building local capacities to manage conflicts peacefully, strengthening collaboration between government and civil society, and addressing the root causes of interfaith tensions. She has worked extensively with parliamentarians, faith leaders, policymakers, government officials, journalists, and legal professionals to drive sustainable peace efforts.

Vice Chancellor, University of Narowal, Narowal, Pakistan
Professor Dr. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq is the Vice Chancellor of the University of Narowal. He was the Director General of the Islamic Research Institute and Dean of the Faculty of Shariah and Islamic Law at International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan, where he was also a Dean of the Faculty of Shariah and Law, Director of the Center for Peace, Reconciliation and Reconstruction Studies, and Director of the International Center of Excellence in Sirah Studies. He was a Senior Fulbright Fellow and Professor at the Edward B. Brueggeman Center for Dialogue at Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH, USA. He holds a PhD in Comparative Fiqh (Islamic Law) from the Institute Superieuer du Theologie, Ezzituna University in Tunis, Tunisia. He had post-doctoral fellowships at the University of Glasgow, U.K.; University of Warsaw, Poland; Deusto University, Bilbao, Spain; and King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz International Center for Inter Religious and Inter Cultural Dialogue (KAICIID) Vienna, Austria. He specializes in Shariah/Islamic Law, International Islamic Law, Islamic Civilizational Studies, Human Rights, Muslim Family laws, and Interfaith Relations/Dialogue, Peace Studies, and Narrative Building. He has authored around 60 research articles/papers, more than 30 books, and given around 550 presentations at international events. He developed a variety of programs, including the establishment of Nisar Fatima Institute for Seerah and Women Studies (NFISWS) at Lahore, and the Ahmad Yasawi Center for Islamic Thought, Culture and Civilization in Central Asia, a joint project of Pakistan and Kazakhstan, to be inaugurated by the President of Kazakhstan in his forthcoming official visit to Pakistan. He leads the Government of Pakistan Projects for Advancing National Narratives such as Paigham-e- Pakistan and Saiban-e-Pakistan, and four major research initiatives, including Increased Justice System Capacity to counter violence against women by the Asia Foundation of Pakistan. He has prepared a toolkit and has trained around 1000 police officers, prosecutors, judicial officers, and government officers of Punjab, Sindh, and KP. He is heading Advancing Inclusive and Resilient Youth Communities Through Preventing Violent Extremism, an initiative of the UNODC and Sirah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on Peacebuilding sponsored by Jamia Muhammadi Sharif. He heads the IRI-UNICEF project “Applied Behavioral Science in Islamic Research to Realize Child Rights in Pakistan.” He is an active member of Secretariat of World and Traditional Religions Kazakhstan, International Justice Forum USA, and International Moderation Forum, Jordon, among others. He has received many awards including Medal of State from the President of Kazakhstan (2016), the Medal of the Honour of the Congress of the Leaders of the World and Traditional Religions from HE Nursultan Nazarbayev, Founding President Republic of Kazakhstan (2018) and Tamgha-i-Imtiaz from the Government of Pakistan (2024). During the 8th Congress of World and Traditional Religions on September 18, 2025 the President of Kazakhstan appointed him Goodwill Ambassador of the Congress of World and Traditional Religions, Astan, Kazakhstan.