Pakistan’s Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi Wednesday met with his Iranian counterpart, Eskandar Momeni, where both countries agreed to keep the Pakistan-Iran border open round the clock for pilgrims during Muharram and Arbaeen.
According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, the two sides also decided to convene a trilateral conference in Mashhad involving the interior ministries of Pakistan, Iran, and Iraq before Arbaeen to coordinate arrangements for Pakistani pilgrims.
The Iranian interior minister announced that 5,000 Pakistani pilgrims will be provided with accommodation and food by the Iranian government in Mashhad, and special arrangements will be made from the border to Iraq for their onwards journey.
A dedicated hotline will also be established to ensure the immediate resolution of issues related to pilgrims. Discussions were held on increasing the number of flights for pilgrims and developing a clear implementation plan soon.
The meeting further explored the possibility of sending pilgrims via maritime routes to Iran and Iraq. Both countries agreed to enhance cooperation across various sectors, particularly focusing on illegal immigration, human trafficking, and anti-narcotics measures.
Enhanced coordination for border security management was also agreed upon. The Iranian interior minister reiterated the importance of Pakistan’s security to Iran and emphasised that serving pilgrims is a religious duty.
The release of Iranian fishermen detained for unintentionally crossing into Pakistani waters was also discussed. Minister Naqvi assured full cooperation on the matter, responding positively to Iran’s request.
Pakistani officials present at the meeting included the DG FIA and other senior representatives, while Iran was represented by Deputy Interior Minister Ali Akbar Pourjamshidian, Deputy Minister Nader Yar Ahmadi, Advisor Hadian, Governor General of Sistan-Balochistan Mansour Bager, and Colonel Javaheri, head of the Interior Ministry's international affairs.
Minister Naqvi expressed gratitude to the Iranian government for its continued support and facilitation of Pakistani pilgrims, saying the new hotline will help swiftly address issues that may arise.
Reporter: Awais Kiyani