Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain shared a startling figure on Wednesday, revealing that 50,000 Pakistanis who traveled to Iraq for religious tourism have not returned. He did not specify the period during which these individuals went missing.
Every year, thousands of Pakistani pilgrims travel to Iran, Iraq, and Syria to visit religious shrines. During a briefing to the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, the minister stated that the government had developed a policy to streamline such visits to these Middle Eastern states, which is awaiting federal cabinet approval.
A statement released after the committee’s proceedings indicated that participants discussed the issue extensively. “Chaudhry Salik Hussain revealed during the meeting that nearly 50,000 Pakistanis had gone missing in Iraq,” the statement said.
The government aims to promote a group system for pilgrims visiting these countries, the statement added, noting that Iraq has its own monitoring system for pilgrims at its borders.
The meeting also reviewed the challenges faced by pilgrims at the Taftan border between Pakistan and Iran, which they frequently cross to visit shrines in the three Middle Eastern states.
Senator Raja Nisar Abbas, a member of the Senate committee, noted that the majority of people who go missing in other countries travel there illegally. He explained that those on pilgrimage have their travel documents collected at the border.
Abbas highlighted the difficulties faced by pilgrims at the Taftan border, including long waits without basic facilities. He proposed establishing a complaint cell for these pilgrims, similar to the one that assists Hajj pilgrims.
