Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said that from next year onward, Pakistani pilgrims will travel to Iraq exclusively under registered Zaireen Group Organizers, rather than individually.
Speaking at a trilateral conference of the Interior Ministers of Pakistan, Iran, and Iraq in Tehran on Monday, he said the registration process for Zaireen Group Organizers has already commenced. These groups will be responsible for ensuring the safe return of pilgrims traveling to Iraq. He added that only individuals issued a special visa by the embassy will be permitted to travel independently.
Mohsin Naqvi emphasized that the group organizer system will help eliminate unauthorized travel to Iraq and reduce incidents of overstaying. He said Iraq and Iran are fully aligned with Pakistan’s new system and reaffirmed their commitment to jointly curbing irregular travel and overstays. He also assured his counterparts of Pakistan’s full cooperation in matters concerning Zaireen.
He expressed gratitude to the governments of Iraq and Iran for their continued care and support of Pakistani pilgrims.
The conference agreed to take all possible measures to facilitate Zaireen traveling to Iran and Iraq.
It was decided that a joint working group comprising representatives from all three countries would be established to streamline and support the pilgrimage process.