ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain shared a startling figure on Wednesday while discussing the number of Pakistanis who went to Iraq for religious tourism but decided not to return, saying there were 50,000 such cases without specifying the period during which these people went missing occurred.
Every year, thousands of Pakistani pilgrims travel to Iran, Iraq and Syria to visit religious shrines in these countries.
During the briefing to the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, the minister said the government had formulated a policy to streamline such visits to the Middle Eastern states, adding it was awaiting the approval of the federal cabinet.
A statement released after the committee’s proceedings reflected that participants discussed the issue at length.
“Chaudhry Salik Hussain revealed during the meeting that nearly 50,000 Pakistanis had gone missing in Iraq,” the statement said.
It informed the government wanted to promote the group system for pilgrims visiting the aforementioned countries, adding that Iraq had its own monitoring system for pilgrims on its borders.
The meeting also reviewed the issues faced by pilgrims at the Taftan border between Pakistan and Iran, which they mostly cross to visit the shrines in the three Middle Eastern states.
Meanwhile, Senator Raja Nisar Abbas, who is part of the Senate committee, said a majority of people who go missing in other countries travel there illegally.
He maintained that those who go for pilgrimage to these countries have their travel documents collected at the border.
He also highlighted the issues faced by pilgrims at the Taftan border, pointing out that they had to wait for several days in the absence of basic facilities.
Abbas proposed that a complaint cell be established for these people, similar to the one that helps Hajj pilgrims.
Religious affairs minister reports 50,000 Pakistanis missing in Iraq during religious tourism
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Religious affairs minister reports 50,000 Pakistanis missing in Iraq during religious tourism
- Chaudhry Salik Hussain shares the startling figure while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs
- He says his ministry has formulated a new policy to address the issue, which is awaiting the federal cabinet’s approval
Pakistan, UK discuss regional security, cross-border attacks as senior official visits Islamabad
- British envoy for Afghanistan Richard Lindsay’s visit comes at a time of a surge in militancy in Pakistan’s border regions
- Pakistani diplomat says both sides reviewed broader security challenges, emphasized coordination to address ‘shared concerns’
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani and British officials have discussed regional security challenges and cross-border attacks during talks in Islamabad, a Pakistani diplomat said on Tuesday, during a visit of the United Kingdom’s Afghanistan envoy, Richard Lindsay, to the Pakistani capital.
Pakistan and the UK regularly cooperate on counterterrorism and security, with a focus on intelligence-sharing to combat militant activity. Lindsay’s visit comes at a time of a rise in militancy in Pakistan’s western provinces, which border Afghanistan.
Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, said the discussions in Islamabad focused on the regional security situation, particularly the urgent challenge posed by cross-border attacks.
“We also exchanged views on the latest regional security developments and broader security challenges,” he said on X. “We emphasized the importance of continued cooperation and coordination to address shared concerns and promote regional stability.”
Islamabad frequently accuses Afghanistan of allowing its soil and India of backing militant groups, such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), for attacks against Pakistan. Kabul and New Delhi deny this.
In recent years, Pakistan and the UK have engaged with each other on counterterrorism and cross-border crimes as part of bilateral cooperation.
Both sides held the second round of the Pakistan-UK Counter Terrorism Dialogue in London in February last year, reviewing global and regional threats and exchanging best practices. Over the years, armed forces of both countries have also maintained close cooperation, particularly in counterterrorism efforts and professional military training.
