- Interior Minister says decision made after consultations with Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Balochistan Government, and security agencies
- PIA announces a special flight operation for Arbaeen pilgrimage, starting August 8 to 11, return flights will operate August 18 to 23
ISLAMABAD: In a move aimed at ensuring public safety and security, Pakistan has announced that pilgrims will not be allowed to travel by road to Iran and Iraq for the Arbaeen pilgrimage this year, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed on Sunday.
“The decision, which comes after consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Balochistan Government, and security agencies, was made in light of security concerns,” the Interior Minister said, adding that while road travel would be restricted, pilgrims would still have the option to travel by air.
The Arbaeen pilgrimage, which commemorates the 40th day of mourning for Imam Husain’s martyrdom, is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, drawing millions of devotees to Karbala in Iraq. Pakistan has always had a large number of pilgrims traveling to participate in the event, especially from the Shia Muslim community.
Naqvi stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had instructed authorities to arrange maximum flights to ensure pilgrims’ safe journey to Iraq and Iran. He also mentioned that special flights for the pilgrimage would be organized and coordinated by the relevant authorities.
The prime minister also tasked Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif with arranging special flights for the pilgrims, starting from August 8 until August 11 for outbound travel and from August 18 to August 23 for return flights.
In addition, Pakistan is set to introduce a new travel management system from January 1, 2026, under which pilgrims will only be allowed to travel through registered organizers. This new system will replace the traditional Salar System with the Zaireen Group Organisers model. Under the new plan, there will be an increase in weekly flights to Iran, and more special flights will be arranged to Iraq, ensuring smoother travel for pilgrims.
Earlier, Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf had retracted his statement about 40,000 pilgrims not returning from trips to Iran and Iraq. He clarified that the confusion stemmed from outdated paper records, which have not been fully digitized.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also discussed the law and order situation in Balochistan and decided to expedite the Gwadar Safe City project. This project aims to enhance security in the region and assist law enforcement agencies in gathering crucial evidence for crime detection and investigations.
PIA announces special flight operation for Arbaeen
On the other hand, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced a special flight operation for the Arbaeen pilgrimage, starting on August 8. The flights will run until August 11 for outbound journeys to Najaf, and return flights will operate between August 18 and 23. The fare for the special flights has been set at 675 US dollars per passenger. However, pilgrims have requested a reduction in fare and more flights to meet the growing demand.
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