Arbaeen, commemorating the 40th day of grief after Ashura, witnesses millions of pilgrims, notably numerous individuals from Pakistan, journeying to Karbala, Iraq. Historically, numerous Pakistani pilgrims would make their journey by road via Balochistan and Iran. Nonetheless, because of the persistent law and order issues in Balochistan, such as a rise in terrorist activities, the government considered the restriction essential to maintain public safety and safeguard national security.
In light of the ban, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has arranged four special flights from Karachi to Najaf from August 8 to 11, with return flights planned for August 18 to 21. The ticket price is fixed at Rs212,000 for each individual, and sales have already started. Private airlines have substantially increased ticket prices, with fares between Rs300,000 and Rs350,000.
This abrupt announcement has caused worry among low-income pilgrims, since many had already paid in advance for different travel arrangements such as visas, vehicle certifications, and hotel reservations. Leaders of pilgrimage groups have urged the government to rethink the prohibition and permit supervised bus convoys under the safeguard of security forces. They claim that this sudden choice has led to considerable monetary losses, particularly for individuals who cannot pay the higher ticket prices.
Additionally, the government has detailed intentions for tighter management of pilgrims moving forward, mandating that all pilgrims must go through officially authorized group organizers, along with special visas for solo travelers