The Pakistani visitors would not be allowed to travel by road to Iran and Iraq for the Arbaeen pilgrimage, the administration announced on Sunday.
Public and national security considerations were taken into consideration when making the decision, according to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
“It has been decided that zaireen (pilgrims) will not be permitted to travel to Iraq and Iran by road for Arbaeen this year, following extensive consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Balochistan Government, and security agencies,” Naqvi wrote on X post.
The interior minister stated that the pilgrims would be able to travel by air, calling the decision “difficult but necessary.”
PM Shehbaz Sharif has instructed officials to “arrange maximum flights to facilitate their pilgrimage in the coming days,” Naqvi said.
After meeting with PM Shehbaz earlier today to brief him on the new pilgrim policy, Naqvi made his statement.
The government chooses to expand the number of flights for pilgrims visiting Iraq and Iran.
According to APP, which cited a press release from the PM Office, the premier also instructed Khawaja Asif, the minister of aviation, to set up “special flights for the pilgrims.”
During this period, the Shia world was centered on Karbala, Iraq, where Imam Hussein and his brother Abbas are remembered in two massive mausoleums facing one another. Last year, about 21 million people participated in the trip.
Starting January 1, 2026, Pakistan is going to implement a new travel management system that will only let visitors to travel with authorized organizers.
PM instructs Naqvi to begin the Gwadar Safe City initiative.
During a meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed that the Gwadar Safe City project be started right away.
The two also discussed Balochistan’s state of law and order. Through the use of cutting-edge evidence collection tools, the Safe City initiative seeks to improve public safety in Gwadar, particularly in crucial areas, and assist law enforcement in detecting and investigating crimes.
The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) authorized the first phase of the Gwadar Safe City project in February 2023, at a cost of Rs4.97 billion, after it was first planned in 2016.
PIA announces Arbaeen’s special flight operation.
A special flight operation for Arbaeen has been scheduled by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), and it will begin on August 8.
August 8–11 will see special flights from Pakistan to Najaf, while August 18–23 will see return flights from Najaf to Pakistan.
Each passenger’s price is $675, as specified by the airline. Pilgrims heading to Iraq, however, have asked PIA to lower the price and increase the number of flights.
