Pakistan Is Arranging Special Flights For Pilgrims Traveling To Iran And Iraq Amid Security Concerns: Here’s What You Should Know Now

Monday, July 28, 2025

Amid rising information fears, nan Pakistan authorities has issued typical formation arrangements for Shia Muslim pilgrims travelling to Iran and Iraq. The move had travel aft Islamabad temporarily halted nan roadworthy recreation to some nan countries pursuing an outbreak of sectarian unit successful nan troubled Balochistan province. The move has been announced to facilitate nan safe recreation for thousands of Pakistanis, annually visiting nan 2 countries to meet belief relatives, and astir commonly for nan Arbaeen pilgrimage.

This was aft Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met and reviewed nan caller recreation argumentation for nan pilgrims. The typical flights will thief pilgrims make nan journey, which commemorates nan extremity of a 40-day play of mourning for Imam Hussain, a cardinal fig successful Shia Islam. The Iraq and Iran visit is considered nan biggest belief arena successful nan Shia Muslim world, and Arbaeen attracts millions of pilgrims each year.

Security Fears Lead To Suspension Of Road Travel

Balochistan, which borders Iran, has agelong been a convulsive area wherever pilgrims walking overland person been singled retired successful sectarian attacks. (Both groups are taste Baloch militant separatist movements seeking a greater stock of nan province’s mineral resources.) Government of Pakistan has issued information concerns for nan suspension of roadworthy recreation to Iran and Iraq for Arbaeen this twelvemonth arsenic we besides know.

The determination to halt roadworthy recreation was taken pursuing inputs from nan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, nan Balochistan Government and information agencies, it said. The declaration besides comes amid a caller emergence successful militant attacks successful nan state that underscores nan increasing insecurity successful nan region.

On Government’s Initiative to Organise Pilgrimages successful a Better Way

Among nan steps being taken to streamline and safeguard pilgrimages, nan Pakistani authorities is besides seeking to instrumentality a cardinal strategy for readying trips to belief destinations successful Iran and Iraq. This would entail pilgrims having to registry pinch authorized circuit operators truthful that pilgrimages are amended organized and regulated.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that from January 1 adjacent twelvemonth single-person pilgrimages will nary longer beryllium permissible. Instead, everyone has to recreation pinch an approved circuit agency. This measurement is taken pursuing nan apprehensions of Iran, Iraq and Syria that a fewer of nan Pakistani pilgrims overstayed their welcome, aliases entered nan countries for activity illegally.

Description of Arbaeen – A Major Religious Observance of Shia Muslims

Arbaeen, nan 40th time of nan martyrdom of Imam Husayn successful nan conflict of Karbala successful 680 AD, is 1 of nan astir sigificant belief events successful nan Shia Muslim calendar. Every year, millions of Shia flock to Iraq, and successful peculiar Karbala, to observe this juncture pinch nan recitation of prayers, hymns and scriptures arsenic good arsenic nan beating of one’s chest. Many of nan pilgrims besides sojourn beatified shrines successful Iran, specified arsenic nan ineffable shrine of Imam Reza successful Mashhad.

Pakistan is among nan countries that guidelines astatine nan forefront successful nan number of pilgrims being sent to Iraq and Iran, erstwhile mentioning confederate region, it includes from nan confederate areas particularly from some Sindh and Balochistan them.

New System Aims to Make Pilgrimage Easier

Pakistan has successful nan past faced disapproval for failing to person successful spot a due strategy for sending pilgrims to Iran and Iraq. The authorities did earlier successful 2021 motion disconnected connected a strategy but grounded successful implementing it. This caller building will apt reside galore of nan logistical and ineligible obstacles confronting pilgrims, and amended nan functioning nan of affairs of travellers and hosting states.

The group registered for Zaireen for Arbaeen would besides beryllium afloat briefed astir responsibilities but nan state they recreation to and nan rules of introduction of that state arsenic and erstwhile his formation returns, he announced, nan belief affairs curate added. Those actions are expected to trim forbidden overstays that person plagued some countries.

By Air: A Safer Journey for Pilgrims

Pilgrims are now uncovering it much convenient and safer to recreation by air, fixed nan halt of roadworthy trips. Pakistan’s Ministry of Aviation has besides started arrangements pinch nan airlines, helping to cater to nan anticipated summation successful aerial postulation successful nan Arbaeen pilgrim season.

Now these typical flights are apt to beryllium nan only intends of carrier for a awesome number of pilgrims from Pakistan, peculiarly from nan far-off regions, to sojourn nan beatified cities successful Iran and Iraq. Many Shia leaders person praised nan typical formation arrangements arsenic a much-needed determination to protect nan lives of nan zaireen (pilgrims).

Government Measures to Tackle Long-Term Problems

The displacement successful argumentation is besides a motion that nan Pakistani authorities is progressively concerned astir nan semipermanent consequences of unregulated pilgrimages. Iran, Iraq and Syria person progressively complained successful caller years that Pakistani pilgrims exceeded their visa limits aliases collapsed section laws. The caller initiatives are designed to straight face these challenges, and to guideline nan timely and unafraid proscription of nan pilgrims to their countries of destination.

Remarks: The Future of Religious Pilgrimages

It is truthful a highly affirmative measurement for Pakistan to person arranged typical flights for those going to Iran, aliases Iraq for that matter for Hajj. Though dealing pinch pressing issues of roadworthy recreation successful Balochistan, it besides prepares a model for effective regularisation of belief tourism successful nan coming times.

A coordinated strategy of visit guidance will mean that nan pilgrims will beryllium comfortable pinch nan statement of their visas and information while they are away.