Turi pens letter to FM Bilawal Bhutto recommends providing facilities to pilgrims of Imam Hussain (AS)

Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Sajid Hussain Turi has recommended in a letter to Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to take immediate steps to solve the problems faced by Pakistani pilgrims and formulate a comprehensive policy for pilgrims’ facilities.

He said that every year on the occasion of Arbaeen-e-Hussaini, millions of Pakistani pilgrims go to Iraq to pay tribute to Imam Hussain (A.S), who are facing a lot of difficulties in obtaining visas.

He said that Hundreds of aspirants are coming to his office every day, who are facing unsolvable problems.

Sajid Hussain Turi wrote that some people go to Iraq and Iran on the pretext of pilgrimage and do not return to Pakistan and because of such a handful of people, genuine pilgrims are suffering.

He said that since it is difficult for the embassies of Iran and Iraq to scrutinize such people who are pilgrims and who are going to work there under the pretext of pilgrimage, they have tightened the visa process.

Federal Minister Sajid Turi appealed to Chairman People’s Party and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to formulate a comprehensive policy for pilgrims, according to which Salar is obliged to bring all pilgrims back home and all those who take them Strict legal action under human trafficking laws.

In his letter, he has written that the ban imposed on the visas of pilgrims under the age of 40 should be lifted, it should be discussed with Iraq and Iran governments to provide multi-entry visas to Pakistani pilgrims.

Sajid Hussain Turi has written that Pakistani buses carrying pilgrims should be allowed to enter Iran and Iraq and land route for pilgrims to Iraq through Mehran or Shalamcha border should be restored.

Sajid Turi was told by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that discussions have been held with the Iranian authorities regarding multi-entry visas and soon double entry visas of Iran will be issued to Pakistani pilgrims.