At least 50,000 Pakistani pilgrims went missing in Iraq: Senate Committee

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Chaudhary Salik Hussain has claimed that at least 50,000 Pakistani pilgrims have gone missing in Iraq.

It was revealed in a meeting of a Senate Committee chaired by Senator Attaur Rehman. 

“The Iraqi government issues free-of-cost visas to pilgrims, but travel agents charge $80-90 for the visa,” Salik told the Senate body.

However, the committee did not disclose the reason behind the disappearance and stressed the execution and implementation of new policies regarding pilgrimage.

The meeting discussed the monitoring mechanisms and challenges faced by pilgrims, particularly on the Taftan border. 

Meanwhile, the issues of longwaits, lack of basic facilities, and high cost of travel were also discussed in the meeting.

The committee decided to collaborate with the provincial governments to improve the situation on the Taftan border and develop a comprehensive policy to enhance the management of pilgrims.

Earlier, on July 15, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met the Ambassador of Iraq Hamid Abbas Lafta and discussed the provision of maximum facilities to pilgrims.

The Iraqi ambassador also expressed consensus for cooperation in this regard to facilitate Pakistani pilgrims.