The Ministry of Religious Affairs announced on Saturday that 350 of the roughly 650 Pakistani nationals stranded in Baghdad, due to a lack of Iraq Airways flights, had safely arrived at Karachi airport. The remaining citizens are expected to return later in the day.
Every year, thousands of Pakistanis travel to Iraq to visit religious shrines.
Most of those stranded had traveled to Iraq to participate in the Arbaeen pilgrimage, which commemorates the 40th day of mourning for Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who was martyred along with much of his family in Karbala in 680 CE.
“Three hundred and fifty of the stranded Pakistani pilgrims in Iraq have reached Karachi, and the rest are also being assisted to return home,” said Muhammad Arshad, a spokesperson for the ministry, in an interview, though he did not provide further details.
Arshad mentioned that the Pakistani mission in Iraq was in contact with the stranded citizens, assuring that there was “no cause for concern” as they had been provided with food and water.
“The issue arose due to the mismanagement of some tourism companies, but it is being resolved with the assistance of Iraqi authorities,” he added.
On Friday, Pakistan’s foreign office reported that 654 Pakistanis were stranded at Baghdad airport due to technical problems with two Iraq Airways aircraft.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Aviation, and Pakistan’s Embassy in Iraq are coordinating with Iraqi authorities and Iraq Airways to expedite the repatriation of the stranded Pakistanis,” the statement read.
It also noted that Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar had instructed Pakistani diplomats in Baghdad to ensure the well-being of the stranded nationals, with the embassy providing them with meals and temporary accommodations.
In a separate statement, Pakistan’s Ambassador Muhammad Zeeshan Ahmed refuted media reports that over 50 Pakistani nationals had lost their passports due to mishandling by immigration authorities.
“The reports about missing passports are incorrect,” he stated in a release issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs. “The situation arose solely due to the mismanagement by tourism companies.”