Security

Disappearing around 50.000 Pakistani in Iraq

After disclosing of 50,000 Pakistanis went missing in Iraq during Muharram pilgrimage, urging the government to establish a new law for pilgrims was stressed by the Pakistani Federal Minister of Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain.

Kurdistan 24 Digital Media 2024/07/27 14:38

Karbala city where Imam Hussain ibin Imam Ali's tomb is (L), Pakistani Federal Minister of Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain (R) (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

Iraq Kurdistan Kurdistan Region 50000 Pakistanis Disappeared Pakistani Minister of Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain violators Non-Compliant Najaf Karbala Iraqi Minister of Labor Ahmed al-Asadi Militias ISIS Threats Human Trafficking Illegal Migration

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – On July 26th, 2024, in Pakistan, the Senate Committee held a meeting that was chaired by the Senator Attaur Rehman. In that session the Pakistani Minister of Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain divulged an urgent update about Pakistani Pilgrims who visited Iraq during Ziarat Muharram "Around 50,000 Pakistanis went missing in Iraq. The Iraqi government issues free visas for pilgrims, but tour operators charge $80-90."

However, he did not mention when and the period of time in which these for-religious-purpose tourists went missing. The Pakistani Minister of Religious Affairs referred to 50,000 of Pakistani citizens to have disappeared in Iraq, asked the authorities to cooperated with Iraqi government to chase up that.

Visits to the religious shrines in Iraqi country on the occasion of the month of Muharram, is the largest believing global gathering, it could reach up to 22 million people all over the world.

Many official sources in Pakistan exposed such information and revealed that Iraqi visa department grants a visa-free believing tour to its land in Karbala and Najaf.

In the conclusion, the committee introduced a new policy for pilgrimages to holy sites in Iraq, Iran and Syria, and they referred it to the federal cabinet for approval.

In Pakistani, media networks, officials, organizations and local authorities stated “the passports of Pakistanis are collected and seized at the border crossings from the Iraqis, before they are organized into convoys.”

At the Iraqi official authority, only the Iraqi Minister of Labor, Ahmed al-Asadi talked in public. He disclosed his concern and condemnation on the large number of workers who illegally do work in the country.

In addition, he reaffirmed of an investigation regarding disappearance of thousands of Pakistanis, in Iraq, will take place, as well as legal actions will be taken against the violators.

"Iraq welcomes all types of holidaymakers, whether religion or non-religion around the world, but to respect local rules and conducts are necessary." Al-Asadi highlighted.

On a separate side of the whole atmosphere, according to the Iraqi police authority 33 Pakistanis were arrested inside the shrine of Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani, in central Baghdad for not having an official entry permit.

In Babil Governorate, a local security source announced that the security services arrested 47 Pakistanis who were non-compliant to the residence status conditions, but without any further details.

During the annual Muharram event, millions of Shiites from Iraq and abroad, for a believing purpose, visit the shrines in Najaf and Karbala. According to the state’s security forces, it is the largest international pilgrimages gathering, almost 20 million visitors.

Kurdistan 24 is chasing up any updates from the governmental organizations in regard to that matter.

Many officials and sources indirectly expressed their concerns regarding this large number went missing, and any potential risks as a result of that would perhaps occur. Especially, in Iraq there are militias, ISIS threats, human trafficking, illegal migrants, modern slavery, illegal workers and many more complicated problems.