Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister, Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, has shared that around 40,000 Pakistani pilgrims, also known as Zaireen, have not returned home from their visits to Iran, Iraq, and Syria in recent years.
He explained that the main reason for this is the lack of a proper system to keep track of pilgrims once they travel abroad.
To solve this problem, the government has now introduced a new centralized system to better manage pilgrimage trips. This new system will help monitor and support Zaireen during their journeys and make sure they return safely.
So far, over 1,400 companies have applied to register as official Zaireen Group Organisers (ZGOs) under this new plan. These companies will arrange trips, take care of travel needs, and keep the government informed about pilgrims’ whereabouts.
The minister added that this step will help bring more safety and order to the pilgrimage process. Families will also feel more at ease knowing their loved ones are being tracked properly during these visits.
In addition to this, Minister Yousuf said that Pakistan has also asked Saudi Arabia to increase its official Hajj quota. Right now, Pakistan can send about 179,000 people for Hajj every year, but the country wants this number to grow to 230,000 because of its large population.
The government hopes that with better systems and higher quotas, more Pakistanis will be able to perform their religious duties with safety and proper arrangements in the coming years.
