Over 50,000 Pakistani pilgrims have gone missing in Iraq, as disclosed during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Atta-ur-Rehman, focused on the arrangements for Hajj 2024 and other significant issues.
During the session, Chairman Senator Atta-ur-Rehman announced that 50,000 Pakistani pilgrims had disappeared after travelling to Iraq. Details regarding the specific cities these pilgrims came from and the duration of their disappearance remain unclear.
Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain mentioned that, during discussions with the Iraqi ambassador, it was revealed that the Iraqi government issues free visas for pilgrimages. However, tour operators charge pilgrims 80 to 90 dollars as visa fees. He emphasized that involving provincial governments could lead to significant improvements.
Chairman Senator Atta-ur-Rehman has directed that this matter be raised with the provincial governments and chief secretaries so that the issue can be addressed comprehensively.
