No record of 40,000 Zaireen who didn't return from Iraq, Iran, Syria: minister

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousuf on Tuesday said that the Pakistan government was not keeping record of 40,000 Pakistani Zaireen who did not return from Iraq, Iran and Syria in recent years.

Touching the serious issue at a press conference, the minister said that 40,000 Pakistani Zaireen have remained in Iraq, Syria, and Iran in recent years. “If the government had a proper record, we would know where each pilgrim went,” he said.

The governments of Iran, Iraq, and Syria have previously raised this concern with Pakistan as well, underlining the need for a formal and accountable structure.

The minister said that in the past, the Pakistani Zaireen used to visit Iraq, Syria and Iran as individual or as part of informal groups and there was no system of their registration or monitoring in these countries at the official level. He said that such situation used to create insecurity of Zaireen while complaints were also received from these countries.

He said that it was because of that reason that Pakistan has now introduced a centralised system for organising pilgrimages to the holy sites in Iran and Iraq through group organisers.

Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said the existing, outdated system would soon be phased out, and companies interested in organising pilgrimages must register with the ministry immediately.

He said the federal cabinet has approved the new framework for Zaireen Group Organisers (ZGOs), and accordingly, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has already issued a public notice. Over 1,400 companies have submitted applications to register as ZGOs so far.

The minister also said that the Pakistan government has already requested the Saudi government to increase the country’s quota for Haj from existing 179,000. According to our population, Pakistan’s quota should be 230,000, he said.