PIA boss, Iraq tourism chief discuss visa on arrival for Pakistan pilgrims

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Chief Executive Officer Arshad Malik held a meeting with Iraq Tourism Board Chairman Thafer Mehdi in Baghdad and discussed matters pertaining to visa on arrival for pilgrims from Pakistan.

Iraq is home to a number of sites considered holy by the Shi'ite Muslims: Imam Hussain ibn Ali is buried at Karbala, and the tomb of his father, Ali ibn Abi Talib, is in the nearby city of Najaf.

Both of these cities have become pilgrimage sites for the Shi'ite faithful, secondary for them in importance only to Mecca.

During the meeting, the two also deliberated on exploring the possibility of a visa on arrival initiative. Malik said the “consent is there to sign" a memorandum of understanding between the two nations.

Held a meeting with Chairman of tourism board in Iraq Mr Thafer Mehdi to deliberate issues related to visa for Pak Zaireens & exploring possibility of visa on arrival, consent is there to sign an MoU bw Pak@“& Iraq, thereafter find & implement suitable long term measures pic.twitter.com/UJhHjAdQ2U

— Air Marshal Arshad Malik (@amarshadmalik) November 4, 2021

Recently, the airline has launched its flight operations to and from Najaf to transport pilgrims visiting the holy sites in Iraq.