Airport nightmare: Pakistani pilgrims trapped in Baghdad cry for help

BAGHDAD – Baghdad Airport has become a scene of disappointment for hundreds of Pakistani pilgrims who have been left stranded at the facility.

The Pakistanis were in Iraq for the Arbaeen event; however, they were left high and dry at the airport due to a shortage of flights and an alarming number of lost passports.

The chaos began on Friday, as scores of men, women, and children were stuck at the airport since 4 am, awaiting flights that had to take off to transport pilgrims back to their country.

Media reports carried by Express News imply that the situation is dire, with affected pilgrims criticizing the lack of communication from authorities.

Some of the pilgrims complained that they were sitting hungry and thirsty for hours at the airport and there was no information about the available flight to Pakistan.

The situation worsened when it was reported that over 50 passports had gone missing, allegedly misplaced by airport staff.

The pilgrims are awaiting their flights to Pakistan as the Arabeen event has concluded; however, the chaos has left them stuck at the airport; the pilgrims claim that Iraqi airport staff had taken their passports upon their arrival in the country.

The Pakistani pilgrims are urging the government to step in and resolve the mounting problem. 

The plight of these pilgrims comes amidst the backdrop of Arbaeen, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. This year’s pilgrimage saw over 21 million Muslim pilgrims making their way to Iraq. The event marks the 40th day of mourning for the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). 

This year, the authorities in Iraq announced to ease the travel requirements for Pakistani pilgrims traveling for Arbaeen as the pilgrims were told that they would no longer be required to surrender their passports upon arrival.