ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iraq have agreed on a slew of measures to facilitate Pakistani pilgrims traveling to the Middle Eastern country for the Arbaeen religious festival, state-run media said, which include easing travel restrictions and operating special flights between the two countries.
Arbaeen is a significant event in the Islamic calendar observed by Shia Muslims around the world. It signifies the end of a 40-day mourning period for Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) grandson Imam Hussain, who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE.
Pilgrims from Pakistan and all around the world flock to the Middle Eastern country every year to pay tribute to Hussain on the occasion.
“Pakistan and Iraq have agreed to operate special flights for Pakistani pilgrims on the occasion of Arbaeen,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said on Wednesday.
“Both sides agreed that Pakistani pilgrims traveling to Iraq for Arbaeen would no longer need to surrender their passports upon arrival.”
The decision was reached during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Iraq’s Ambassador Hamid Abbas Lafta. As per the APP, both officials promised to make the religious journey smoother and more accessible for thousands of devotees.
It was agreed during the meeting that Iraq would increase the quota for Pakistani pilgrims and would issue them visas directly from the Embassy of Iraq, APP said.
The state media also said that a new Iraqi consulate would also be opened in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi.
Both countries would also initiate a crackdown on travel agents charging excessive fees to pilgrims, APP said. A visa waiver agreement on diplomatic and official passports was also reached during the meeting, the state media reported, adding that Pakistan requested the same for citizens who held regular passports.
Decisions taken in the meeting aimed to provide equal facilities to Pakistani pilgrims by ensuring a hassle-free experience, APP said. It said Naqvi also managed to secure approval from Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif to allow Iraqi airlines to operate special flights to Pakistan for the occasion.
This development marked a significant improvement in travel arrangements for Pakistani pilgrims, promising a more convenient and accessible journey to Iraq, APP said.
Pakistan, Iraq announce slew of measures for Pakistani pilgrims traveling for Arbaeen
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Pakistan, Iraq announce slew of measures for Pakistani pilgrims traveling for Arbaeen
- Arbaeen marks end of 40-day mourning period for Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) grandson Imam Hussain
- Pakistani pilgrims traveling to Iraq will not have to surrender passports on arrival, says state-run media
Pakistan says $50 million meat export deal with Tajikistan nearing finalization
- Islamabad expects to finalize agreement soon after Dushanbe signals demand for 100,000 tons
- Pakistan is seeking to expand agricultural trade beyond rice, citrus and mango exports
ISLAMABAD: Tajikistan has expressed interest in importing 100,000 tons of Pakistani meat worth more than $50 million, with both governments expected to finalize a supply agreement soon, Pakistan’s food security ministry said on Tuesday.
Pakistan is trying to grow agriculture-based exports as it seeks regional markets for livestock and food commodities, while Tajikistan, a landlocked Central Asian state, has been expanding food imports to support domestic demand. Pakistan currently exports rice, citrus and mangoes to Dushanbe, though volumes remain small compared to national production, according to official figures.
The development came during a meeting in Islamabad between Pakistan’s Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and Ambassador of Tajikistan Yusuf Sharifzoda, where agricultural trade, livestock supply and food-security cooperation were discussed.
“Tajikistan intends to purchase 100,000 tons of meat from Pakistan, an import valued at over USD 50 million,” the ambassador said, according to the ministry’s statement, assuring full facilitation and that Islamabad was prepared to meet the demand.
The statement said the two sides agreed to expand cooperation in meat and livestock, fresh fruit, vegetables, staple crops, agricultural research, pest management and standards compliance. Pakistan also proposed strengthening coordination on phytosanitary rules and establishing pest-free production zones to support long-term exports.
Pakistan and Tajikistan have long maintained political ties but bilateral food trade remains below potential: Pakistan produces 1.8 million tons of mangoes annually but exported just 0.7 metric tons to Tajikistan in 2024, while rice exports amounted to only 240 metric tons in 2022 out of national output of 9.3 million tons. Pakistan imports mainly ginned cotton from Tajikistan.
