40,000 Pakistanis Missing After Traveling to Iran, Iraq, and Syria; Govt Overhauls Pilgrimage System

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf revealed in a press conference that approximately 40,000 Pakistani pilgrims who traveled to Iran, Iraq, and Syria have either stayed back or gone completely missing, with no official records available.
In response to this alarming situation, the government has abolished the traditional Salar (group leader) system and introduced a new computerized and organized pilgrimage management system. This change aims to prevent such incidents in the future and ensure better monitoring of pilgrims.
The minister announced that only officially registered companies that meet government criteria will now be eligible to organize pilgrimages. These companies will be issued Ziyarat Group Organizer (ZGO) certificates. The new system is designed to improve transparency in travel arrangements and ensure the safety of pilgrims.
He added that the governments of Iran, Iraq, and Syria have formally raised concerns with Pakistan over the large number of Pakistani pilgrims disappearing in their territories. Following these concerns, the Ministry of Religious Affairs decided that pilgrims will now only be allowed to travel through approved and registered group operators to ensure complete documentation and monitoring.
Sardar Yousaf also addressed challenges in the private Hajj scheme, stating that 63,000 individuals were unable to proceed for Hajj this year due to incomplete payments. However, he assured that all those who made full payments—whether through the private or government scheme—would be facilitated for Hajj.
Regarding next year’s Hajj, the minister shared that over 456,000 applications have already been received, despite Pakistan’s quota being limited to 179,210 pilgrims. He emphasized that the distribution of the quota between government and private schemes will be decided transparently by the federal government based on merit.
When asked whether the new requirements would sideline small companies and low-income Salars, potentially giving control to a specific group or “mafia,” the minister clarified that all existing operators have been given the opportunity to reapply under the new system. Only those fulfilling the complete criteria will be approved.
The ministry has begun collecting documentation from registered companies and is finalizing new regulations regarding accommodation, travel, and security for pilgrims, aiming to provide safe, organized, and trustworthy services, avoiding past shortcomings.