Cardinal Joseph Coutts, Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Karachi (Pakistan) was born on 21 July 1945 in Amristar, in the diocese of Jullundur, India.

He was ordained a priest on 9 January 1971 for the clergy of Lahore.

He was elected as coadjutor bishop of Hyderabad, Pakistan, on 5 May 1988 and was consecrated on 16 September of the same year. He became bishop of Hyderabad on 1 September 1990.

He was later transferred to Faisalabad (27 June 1998) and elevated to the metropolitan see of Karachi on 25 January 2012. He served as Metropolitan Archbishop until 11 February 2021

He served as president of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference from 2011 until the end of 2017.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Pope Francis in the consistory of 28 June 2018, of the Title of San Bonaventura da Bagnoregio.