Contrary to reports in the local media, Pope Francis hasn’t yet decided whether he’ll be visiting Pakistan anytime this year.
In a statement to the National Catholic Register (America), Vatican spokesman Father Roderico Lombardi clarified that while the Pope had received an invitation to visit Pakistan, he had neither declined nor accepted it.
Father Lombardi told the American “Register” on Thursday that there was “currently no travel program to Pakistan being studied”.
The Pope receives invitations from visiting dignitaries of many countries but does not immediately accept or decline them. Unfortunately, this has often been prematurely considered as his acceptance, he said.
The invitation was extended to the Pope during this week’ general mass by Pakistan’s Ports and Shipping Minister Kamran Michael and Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Yousaf on behalf of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Pakistan, where the Pope is considered highly popular, hopes to be included in any upcoming trip to South Asia. This comes amid speculation that the Pope may soon visit India to canonise Mother Teresa.
