Islamabad 16 July: Forty thousand Pakistani pilgrims visiting Iran, Iraq, and Syria are reported to have gone completely missing, with no official record of their whereabouts.
Addressing a press conference, the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf stated that due to the seriousness of this issue, the traditional “Salar system” (group leader-based system) has been abolished and replaced with a new, organised, and computerised system to prevent such incidents in the future.
The minister stated that only registered companies meeting official criteria will now be authorized to arrange pilgrimage tours, and they will be issued Ziyarat Group Organiser certificates. This move aims to ensure pilgrim safety and bring transparency to travel arrangements.
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The minister added that all three countries that includes Iran, Iraq, and Syria have formally expressed concern to Pakistan over the disappearance of large numbers of Pakistani pilgrims.
In response, the ministry has decided that in the future, pilgrims will only be allowed to travel through designated, registered tour operators, ensuring that complete records are maintained and proper monitoring is possible.
