ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan have urged Pakistanis to celebrate Eid Al-Fitr safely and maintain restrictions as Pakistan is facing a coronavirus third wave.
Both the president and PM spoke on Wednesday night as the whole country was waiting for the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, the country’s official moonsighting body, to announce last minute that Eid, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, would be observed on Thursday.
As he delivered his Eid greetings, Khan called on Pakistanis to exercise “extra caution and strictly abide by the anti-COVID precautions.”
“The precautions were also the injunctions of Islam as well as teachings of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),” he said, as quoted by the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).
President Alvi said that as Pakistan had shown discipline during the first two waves of the pandemic, it should be able to contain the current one as well if health guidelines are followed.
“I hope that we can contain the massive spread of coronavirus, if we as a nation show discipline during the third wave,” he said, as quoted by APP.
He warned that traditional handshakes and embraces that come with family celebrations on Eid should be avoided “to avert massive outbreak of the pandemic.”
Earlier this month, Pakistan tightened curbs to stop the spread of COVID-19 during the Eid holiday.
Under “Stay Home Stay Safe Strategy,” authorities restricted public transportation to reduce mobility during the period in which a large number of people travel from one city to another to spend the time with their loved ones.
All markets, businesses, and shops remain closed except for those providing essential services.
Pakistani leaders urge caution as Eid starts with tighter virus curbs
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Pakistani leaders urge caution as Eid starts with tighter virus curbs
- Pakistan’s moonsighting committee announced Eid Al-Fitr to be observed on Thursday
- Earlier this month, Pakistan tightened curbs to stop the spread of COVID-19 during Eid
Pakistan expands pilgrim travel system for Iran, Iraq with licenses to 67 new operators
- New system requires all Iraq-Iran pilgrimages to be organized by licensed groups under state oversight
- Long-running “Salar” model relied on informal caravan leaders, leading to overstays and missing pilgrims
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has issued registration certificates to 67 additional licensed pilgrimage companies, expanding a tightly regulated travel system designed to curb overstays, undocumented migration and security risks linked to religious travel to Iran and Iraq, the ministry of religious affairs said on Tuesday.
The move is part of a broader overhaul of Pakistan’s pilgrim management framework after authorities confirmed that tens of thousands of Pakistani pilgrims had overstayed or gone missing abroad over the past decade, raising concerns with host governments and triggering diplomatic pressure on Islamabad to tighten oversight.
“The dream of safe travel for pilgrims to Iran and Iraq through better facilities and a transparent mechanism is set to be realized,” the religious affairs ministry said in a statement, quoting Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, who announced that 67 new Ziyarat Group Organizers had been registered.
Pakistan’s government has dismantled the decades-old “Salar” system, under which informal caravan leaders arranged pilgrimages with limited state oversight. The model was blamed for weak documentation, poor accountability and widespread overstays, particularly during peak pilgrimage seasons.
Under the new framework, only licensed companies are allowed to organize pilgrimages, and they are held directly responsible for ensuring pilgrims return within approved timelines.
Authorities say pilgrimages to Iran and Iraq will be conducted exclusively under the new system from January 2026, marking a full transition to regulated travel. The religion ministry said it has now completed registration of 24 operators in the first phase and 67 more in the second, with remaining applicants urged to complete documentation to obtain licenses.
The religious affairs ministry said a digital management system is being developed with the National Information Technology Board to monitor pilgrim movements and operator compliance, while a licensed ferry operator has also secured approval to explore future sea travel options.
The overhaul has been accompanied by tighter coordination with host countries. Earlier this month, Pakistan and Iraq agreed to share verified pilgrim data and restrict entry to travelers cleared under the new system, following talks between interior ministers in Islamabad and Baghdad. Pakistan has also barred overland pilgrim travel for major religious events, citing security risks in its southwestern Balochistan province, meaning travel to Iran and Iraq is now limited to approved air routes.
Officials say the reforms are aimed at balancing facilitation with accountability, as tens of thousands of Pakistani pilgrims travel annually to key Shia shrines, including Karbala and Najaf in Iraq and Mashhad and Qom in Iran. Travel peaks during religious occasions such as Arbaeen, when millions of worshippers converge on Iraq, placing heavy logistical and security demands on regional authorities.
The government says the new system is intended to restore confidence among host countries while ensuring safer, more transparent travel for Pakistani pilgrims.
