Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said that Zaireen (pilgrims) will not be allowed to travel to Iran and Iraq by road this year.
In his message on the social networking website ‘X’, Mohsin Naqvi said that air travel to Iraq and Iran will be allowed for the Arbaeen pilgrimage.
He said that this decision has been taken after mutual consultation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Balochistan government, and security agencies. This decision has been taken given the safety of the people and national security.
The Interior Minister said that the Prime Minister has directed to increase the number of flights for pilgrims, and more facilities will be provided to the pilgrims by increasing the flights.
It should be noted that a week ago, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf revealed that nearly 40,000 Pakistani pilgrims who traveled to Iran, Iraq, and Syria are either missing or have overstayed, with no official record of their whereabouts.
Speaking at a press conference, the minister said the government has abolished the traditional “Salar system” and introduced a computerized, organized mechanism to prevent such incidents.
Under the new system, only officially registered companies meeting government criteria will be authorized to arrange pilgrimage tours, with Ziyarat Group Organiser certificates issued to approved operators. This aims to ensure pilgrim safety and maintain transparent travel records.
He noted that Iran, Iraq, and Syria have formally raised concerns with Pakistan over the disappearance of such a large number of pilgrims.
In response, the ministry has mandated that all future pilgrimages must be conducted through licensed tour operators to ensure proper monitoring and accountability.
