ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government is introducing a new, centralized system for organizing pilgrimages to holy sites in Iran and Iraq that would require interested parties to register as tour operators, the Pakistani religious affairs minister announced on Tuesday, a day after a trination meeting in Tehran between interior ministers from the three countries.
Islamabad had requested for the tri-nation conference to discuss issues relating to thousands of Pakistani Shiite Muslims, who travel annually to holy sites in Iran, Iraq and Syria.
Pakistan previously had no formal structure for people to travel to Iran and Iraq for religious purposes. Although a system was approved in 2021 to organize these pilgrimages, but little progress was made on its implementation.
Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf clarified that managing the affairs of Shiite zaireen (pilgrims), like Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, falls under the purview of his ministry.
“The existing, outdated system will soon be phased out and companies interested in organizing pilgrimages [to Iran, Iraq and Syria] must register with the ministry immediately,” he was quoted as saying by the religious affairs ministry.
The announcement follows a statement from Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, following the tri-nation meeting in Tehran, saying that Pakistani Shiite pilgrims would not be able to individually travel for religious pilgrimages from Jan. 1 next year.
Some Pakistanis traveling individually to these countries were found to be overstaying their visas or working in the host countries, according to the interior minister.
Religious Affairs Minister Yousaf noted that around 40,000 Pakistani pilgrims had remained in Iraq, Syria and Iran in recent years and authorities in the three countries had raised their concerns with Pakistan, underlining the need for a formal and accountable structure.
“If the government had a proper record, we would know where each pilgrim went,” he said, adding that Naqvi and Religious Affairs Secretary Dr. Syed Ata-ur-Rehman are currently in Iran to integrate the pilgrimage process into a modern, computerized tracking system.
Last month, Pakistan evacuated over 260 nationals from Iraq and another 450 Pakistanis who had been stranded in Iran during the Tehran-Israeli conflict, according to the country’s foreign ministry. There was no confirmation of the number of evacuees who had traveled legally and those who had been staying in the two countries illegally.
Yousaf said Pakistan’s federal cabinet has approved a new framework for Zaireen Group Organizers (ZGOs), and accordingly, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has issued a public notice for interested parties to register as ZGOs.
Of the 1,400 applicants, 585 companies cleared the security vetting process and have been instructed to complete their online registration through the religious affairs ministry’s website and submit required documents by July 31, according to the minister.
Companies wishing to work as ZGOs can apply for registration till Aug. 10.
“Just as Hajj pilgrims travel through licensed Hajj tour operators, Zaireen will also travel only through registered ZGOs,” Yousaf said, adding that ZGOs will also be required to provide travel cost packages for pilgrims like Hajj tour organizers.
