Govt decides to increase flights for pilgrims traveling to Iran and Iraq
ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to increase the number of flights and launch a ferry service for pilgrims traveling to Iran and Iraq.
A key meeting of the special task force established on the Prime Minister’s directives to address issues faced by pilgrims was held, chaired by Federal Interior Minister and Task Force Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain, and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry attended the meeting, along with senior officials from various ministries and departments.
Important decisions were made in the meeting regarding the facilitation and security of pilgrims. In a briefing by Civil Aviation, it was stated that the number of weekly flights to Iran has been increased from 6 to 15, while 107 special flights have been arranged for Iraq during Arbaeen.
The task force also considered further increasing the number of flights for pilgrims traveling to Iran and Iraq.
The briefing revealed that to provide better travel facilities, a ferry service will be launched in the future. After Ashura, a reassessment of the security situation for Arbaeen will be conducted, and a decision will then be made on whether to allow travel via land routes.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated that, given the current situation, the government’s top priority is to ensure that pilgrims are protected from any kind of difficulty or hardship. “The safety of the pilgrims is of utmost importance,” he added.
It was also decided in the meeting that starting from January 1, 2026, pilgrims will only be allowed to travel under the Group Organizers System, and the current “Salar” (guide) system will be completely abolished. So far, 1,413 applications for registration under the new group organizer system have been received, and their verification and scrutiny process is ongoing.
The Interior Minister instructed the FIA and other relevant agencies to take all necessary measures to prevent individuals from traveling illegally to Iraq under the guise of pilgrimage.
The meeting was also attended by the Secretary of Interior, Secretary of Religious Affairs, representatives from the Ministry of Information and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Director General FIA, Director General Civil Aviation, Additional Chief Secretary Balochistan, IG Balochistan, Commissioner Quetta, and other relevant officials via Zoom. NNI
