KARACHI: The Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) on Saturday asked the government to remove hurdles from pilgrimage travel and provide facilities for travelers to Syria, Iraq and Iran. In a statement, Allama Ali Anwar Jafari of MWM said not every person travelling to the holy sites in the said countries qualifies as a pilgrim.

“Genuine pilgrims fulfill all legal obligations and travel with registered caravans, returning with them as well. Labeling those who travel for ulterior motives as ‘zaireen’ is an insult to actual pilgrims,” he said.

He suggested the government to take all stakeholders onboard while devising the pilgrimage policy to make it viable, effective and acceptable for every segment of the society. He also asked the government to exchange proposals and opinions with caravan leaders who can offer crucial inputs for devising any such policy.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2025