Christians and Muslims paid tributes to Father Melito Dias, the oldest Christian clergy in Pakistan, who passed away on April 18 at the age of 97. Dias died at the Holy Family Hospital in Karachi due to old age complications, the Pakistani Catholic bishops’ National Commi-ssion for Justice and Peace (NCJP) confirmed on April 19. Born in Kara-chi, the capital of Sindh Province, on Feb. 27, 1921, Dias studied at Church-run St.Patrick’s High School. He was ordained a priest on Aug. 24, 1954, in Kandy city of Sri Lanka with permission from Karachi Catho-lic Archdiocese. He was first posted at the Minor Seminary at Quetta in Balochistan province and then at St. Patrick’s High School, his alma mater. He also served the parish of St. Joseph’s in Sindh’s Larkana city. An ardent fan of Pakistan’s national sport, field hockey, Dias was selected to play for the Sindh Provincial Hockey team during his days as a student at St.Patrick’s High School. However, Dias decided to move to Sri Lanka for missionary experience instead of travelling to India with the hockey team to play a tournament. After returning to Pakistan from Sri Lanka, Dias taught in several schools including the Quetta Grammar School, St.Patrick’s High School in Karachi and St.Lawrence’s School. He was head hockey coach during his stint with St.Patrick’s High School, mentoring students into budding athletes.