Islamabad, September 4, 2025: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Thursday held a balloting ceremony at its headquarters under an agreement between the CDA Administration and the CDA Workers Union (CBA) to facilitate Christian employees in visiting the Vatican City to perform their religious duties.
The initiative was launched on the directions of CDA Chairman and Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Muhammad Ali Randhawa.
The ceremony was attended by Member Finance Tahir Naeem Akhtar, Member Engineering Syed Nafasat Raza, CDA Workers Union General Secretary Chaudhary Muhammad Yaseen, senior CDA officers, and a large number of Christian employees.
Through the e-balloting process, five Christian employees were selected to undertake the pilgrimage to the Vatican this year.
Speaking on the occasion, Member Finance Tahir Naeem Akhtar and Member Engineering Syed Nafasat Raza congratulated the selected employees and lauded the services of Christian workers, noting their vital role in maintaining the beauty, cleanliness, and development of Islamabad.
They said the initiative was a “blessed step” that would allow employees not only to fulfill their spiritual duties but also to pray for the prosperity of CDA, the capital city, and Pakistan.
CDA Workers Union General Secretary Chaudhary Muhammad Yaseen expressed gratitude to Chairman CDA and the board members for making the initiative possible. He said the union has consistently worked for the welfare of employees “beyond color, race, and religion.”
He highlighted that while arrangements are made for Muslim employees to perform Hajj, efforts have also been taken to support Christian employees, including allowances on religious festivals and now the facilitation of their visit to the Vatican City. He termed the initiative a “shining example of interfaith harmony in Pakistan.”
