Senate Panel Rejects Reports of 40,000 Missing Pilgrims

Pakistan – (Special Correspondent / Web Desk) -The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development was informed on Tuesday that news about 40,000 missing Pakistani pilgrims in Iraq was completely false.

The meeting was chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, where Senator Raja Nasir Abbas clarified that the reports were exaggerated and incorrect.

“I personally met the Prime Minister of Iraq, who confirmed these reports are wrong. I also spoke with the Minister for Religious Affairs of Pakistan, who said the same thing. It was a mistake,” Senator Abbas told the committee.

Officials from the Ministry of Interior added that only 27 Pakistanis have been detained in Iraq, and among 81 cases, 30 are still under trial.

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Senator Abbas also raised another issue, saying Pakistani passports are being taken at airports in several countries, including Iraq.

“This is highly disrespectful to Pakistani citizens. The government must take serious notice. Even Afghan nationals are not treated this way,” he said. The ministry assured the committee that the issue would be discussed at a diplomatic level.

The committee also reviewed the situation of Pakistanis jailed abroad. According to the Interior Ministry, there are 21,647 Pakistanis in prisons worldwide. Out of these, more than 13,000 are under trial, while 8,000 have been convicted.

PTI’s newly elected Senator Faisal Javed was also present at the meeting.