The Pakistan government has made the decision of establishing a ferry service and putting on more flights to transport pilgrims who are traveling to Iraq and Iran to attend Arbaeen.
The move came at a meeting of the Special Task Force on Pilgrims Issues which was chaired by Federal Interior Minister and Task Force Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
Senior officials of other ministries and departments were also present along with Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry.
In the meeting, the Civil Aviation officialls gave a brief of weekly flights to Iran which have been jumped up to 15 flights as compared to six flights before and also 107 special flights alone have been scheduled to Iraq during Arbaeen.
A ferry facility is also being introduced to improve the travel facilities to pilgrims. The security situation will be re-evaluated after the Ashura, and then a decision will take place whether to travel through land route during Arbaeen.
It was also established that starting January 1, 2026, pilgrims will be required to travel with the Group Organizers System instead of the current system known as Salar.
The government has already got 1413 applications to be registered under the new system and the verification and scrutiny process is in operation. There will also be the measures which are directed at the prevention of unauthorized travels to Iraq under pretext of pilgrimage.
The Interior Minister instructed FIA and other concerned authorities to do everything within their powers to stop clandestine travel to Iraq posed as religious pilgrimage.
