ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided to bar its citizens from travelling by road to Iran and Iraq for the Arbaeen pilgrimage this year over security and safety concerns.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced that pilgrims will now only be permitted to travel to the holy sites in Iran and Iraq by air.
Naqvi said in a post on X: “After extensive consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, [the] Balochistan Government, and security agencies, it has been decided that Zaireen (pilgrims) will not be allowed to travel to Iraq and Iran by road for Arbaeen this year.”
“This difficult decision has been made in the interest of public safety and national security,” Naqvi added. The interior minister said the pilgrims would be able to travel by air.
After extensive consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Balochistan Government, and security agencies, it has been decided that Zaireen will not be allowed to travel to Iraq and Iran by road for Arbaeen this year. This difficult decision was taken in the interest of…
— Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) July 27, 2025
Naqvi stressed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to “arrange maximum flights to facilitate their pilgrimage in the coming days”.
In May this year, Pakistan and Iran agreed to enhance cooperation for religious pilgrims by keeping their shared border open 24 hours a day during the Islamic months of Muharram and Safar, including the period of Arbaeen.
The agreement also includes an increase in flights and other facilitation measures, state-run APP reported.
The two countries agreed to increase the number of available flights for pilgrims and explore the possibility of sea travel to ease congestion at land crossings.
Tehran also pledged to provide accommodation and meals for 5,000 Pakistani pilgrims in Mashhad during the peak pilgrimage season.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced a special flight operation for Arbaeen starting August 8.
Outbound flights from Pakistan to Najaf will operate from August 8 to 11, while return flights from Najaf to Pakistan are scheduled for August 18 to 23. PIA has set the fare at USD 675 per passenger for the special Arbaeen operation.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of Pakistani pilgrims travel overland to Najaf via Iran.
Pakistan is set to introduce a new travel management system from January 1, 2026, under which pilgrims will only be allowed to undertake the journey under registered organisers.
