ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf on Wednesday revealed that around 40,000 Pakistani pilgrims who traveled to Iran, Iraq, and Syria have either remained there or gone completely missing, with no official record of their whereabouts.
Addressing a press conference, the minister stated that due to the seriousness of this issue, the traditional “Salar system” (group leader-based system) has been abolished and replaced with a new, organised, and computerised system to prevent such incidents in the future.
He explained that only registered companies meeting official criteria will now be authorised to arrange pilgrimage tours, and they will be issued Ziyarat Group Organiser certificates. This move aims to ensure pilgrim safety and bring transparency to travel arrangements.
The minister added that all three countries that includes Iran, Iraq, and Syria have formally expressed concern to Pakistan over the disappearance of large numbers of Pakistani pilgrims.
In response, the ministry has decided that in the future, pilgrims will only be allowed to travel through designated, registered tour operators, ensuring that complete records are maintained and proper monitoring is possible.