ISLAMABAD - The Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony was Wednesday told that around 50,000 Pakistani Zaireen (pilgrims) have vanished in Iraq so far.
Religious Affairs Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain told the committee that a large number of Pakistani Zaireen went missing in Iraq during the past years. He said the government was taking steps to check people going abroad through illegal means. The committee was told that Iraqi authorities manage the affairs of Zaireen at its border with the “Salar” system in place. It also took view of the issues faced by Zaireen at the Taftan border.
Senator Raja Nasir Abbas told the meeting that Zaireen have had to wait for days at the Taftan border. He said the premises lack basic facilities, eatables are sold at exorbitant prices and the food is substandard. He called for a comprehensive strategy to overcome issues.
The federal minister said the issues relate to both the provincial and federal governments and added coordinated efforts could help resolve the issues. To this, Chairman Committee Senator Attaur Rehman suggested taking up the issue with the provincial government through the chief secretary.
The meeting of the committee was held at the Parliament House in which Senators Hasna Bano, Muhammad Aslam Abro, Bushra, Anjum Butt, Gurdeep Singh, Raja Nasir Abbas and Aun Abbas Bappi participated. The committee was told that the ministry regulates Hajj and Umrah affairs besides pilgrims’ trips to India, Iran, Iraq and Syria.
The ministry officials told the committee that a new policy has been chalked out for the trips to sacred places in different countries and that has been sent to the federal cabinet for approval. The committee was further told that Zaireen for Iran, Iraq and Syria are monitored at Taftan. The officials said that the government wants to promote a group system for Zaireen. The committee was told that the Pakistan House project has been excluded from the PSDP for which the Balochistan government had promised to provide land.
