ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Senate chairman has called on Iraq’s government to streamline arrangements and ease the process for Pakistani pilgrims traveling to the Middle Eastern country for the annual Arbaeen religious event, state broadcaster reported on Wednesday.
Iraq is home to some of the holiest Shia Muslim sites, including the Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf and the Imam Hussain Shrine in Karbala. The annual Arbaeen pilgrimage, marking the martyrdom of Hussain in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE, attracts millions of Shia Muslim devotees from around the world.
Arbaeen signifies the end of a 40-day mourning period for Hussain, observed by Shia Muslims worldwide, with pilgrims from Pakistan and other parts of the world traveling to Iraq to honor his sacrifice.
Former prime minister and Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani met Iraq’s Ambassador to Pakistan Hamid Abbas Lafta in Islamabad to discuss the religious event and bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
“He (Gilani) said 250,000 Pakistani pilgrims visit Iraq every year to pay respect at holy sites,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
“He said there is an urgent need to further streamline the arrangements for Pakistani pilgrims.”
The report added that Gilani stressed the need for enhanced cooperation between Pakistan and Iraq in key sectors including agriculture, trade, water, energy, education, tourism, and defense.
It said Gilani also called for direct flights between both countries to strengthen people-to-people contacts, highlighting that the two sides agreed to promote “parliamentary diplomacy and delegation exchanges.”
Last year Pakistan and Iraq agreed on several measures to facilitate Pakistani pilgrims traveling for Arbaeen. These included easing travel restrictions, operating special flights and launching a crackdown on travel agents charging excessive fees.
Senate chairman calls for streamlining arrangements for 250,000 Pakistani pilgrims to Iraq
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Senate chairman calls for streamlining arrangements for 250,000 Pakistani pilgrims to Iraq
- Iraqi Ambassador Hamid Abbas Lufta calls on Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani in Islamabad
- Around 250,000 pilgrims visit Iraq every year to pay respects at holy sites during Arbaeen
Pakistan vows to enhance multilateral cooperation with China, Russia at SCO moot
- Pakistan deputy PM holds meetings with Russian counterpart, Chinese premier at sidelines of SCO summit
- Ishaq Dar, Russian deputy PM review bilateral ties, cooperation across political, economic, connectivity spheres
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar this week vowed to enhance bilateral ties and multilateral cooperation with Beijing and Moscow, state media reported, as he met senior officials from China and Russia during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.
Dar had arrived in Russia on Monday to attend the two-day SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) summit in Moscow, met Chinese PM Li Qiang and Russian Deputy PM Alexei Overchuk.
Dar and Overchuk reviewed the full gamut of Pakistan-Russia relations, focusing on strengthening cooperation across political, economic, energy, connectivity, agricultural, industrial, educational and people-to-people areas through institutionalized mechanisms, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Tuesday.
“Pakistan and Russia have reaffirmed their commitment to enhanced cooperation at bilateral and multilateral fora, including the United Nations and Shanghai Cooperation Organization,” the state broadcaster said.
Overchuk recalled his recent visits to Pakistan and noted the country’s potential as a regional hub for transit and connectivity, the state media said.
Meanwhile, Dar also met the Chinse prime minister at the sidelines of the SCO moot when it concluded.
“They reaffirmed the ‘all-weather’ Pakistan-China strategic partnership, reviewed bilateral and multilateral cooperation— especially within the SCO— and praised the Shanghai Spirit principles guiding regional collaboration,” Radio Pakistan said.
Dar addressed the CHG summit on Tuesday, urging the bloc to activate its financial mechanisms. The Pakistani deputy premier said tools such as the SCO Interbank Consortium were under-used despite the rising need for investment in regional trade corridors, digital links and infrastructure.
“The SCO has established a foundation for sustainable economic progress, but we must aggressively utilize the tools already at our disposal, like the SCO Interbank Consortium, to finance connectivity and technical collaboration projects,” he said at the forum.
Dar noted that Pakistan viewed economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation as “interconnected threads in a single, stronger fabric of regional partnership,” and urged members to move from political declarations toward practical, cross-cutting initiatives.
He also highlighted disaster preparedness as an emerging priority for the bloc, saying Pakistan had developed a technology-driven early-response system and was ready to host simulation exercises with SCO partners.
