Iraqi FM assures Pakistan of new visa policy for pilgrims

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Iraqi Foreign Minister Dr Fuad Hussein on Wednesday assured Pakistan of introducing a new visa policy for pilgrims aimed at facilitating their visits to holy sites in Iraq.

In a joint press conference here along with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the visiting Iraqi foreign minister said every possible facilitation would be extended to Pakistanis visiting holy places in Karbala and Najaf.

The two foreign ministers, who earlier led delegation-level talks focused on bilateral and regional consultations on trade, energy, religious tourism, defence cooperation, human resource, employment and consular matters.

Dr Hussein said he would discuss with the Iraqi interior minister to “make it easier for Pakistani pilgrims to visit Iraq”, adding that promoting people-to-people contacts was in the interest of both countries.

Qureshi mentioned that smooth issuance of visas for Pakistani pilgrims to Iraq, especially during Muharram, was discussed. With Prime Minister Imran Khan’s personal interest, he said, a pilgrims management policy was under consideration. Also, plans are under way to set up a Pakistan House at Karbala and a medical centre to facilitate the pilgrims.

Earlier in the day, the two foreign ministers inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on holding bilateral political consultations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The MoU is expected to further enhance existing friendly relations between Pakistan and Iraq and give a new dimension to cooperation in diverse areas.

Dr Fuad Hussain also planted a sapling in the lawns of the ministry. The Iraqi foreign minister arrived on a two-day visit on Wednesday morning at Qureshi’s invitation.

The Foreign Office in a statement said Pakistan and Iraq enjoy close fraternal ties, founded on strong affinities of faith and culture. “Pakistan accords high importance to these relations and is resolved to further deepen and broaden mutual cooperation in diverse fields. The relationship is reinforced by similarity of views on a range of regional and global issues,” the statement added.

The visit of Iraqi Foreign Minister comes in the backdrop of a number of ministerial-level visits from both sides in the past few months, which signify the importance accorded by the two countries to augmenting the bilateral relationship. Qureshi visited Iraq in May 2021.

Further high-level exchanges are envisaged in the coming months. “The visit of Foreign Minister Dr Fuad Hussein is expected to add further momentum to the positive trajectory of brotherly relations between Pakistan and Iraq,” he Foreign Office said.