PIA to facilitate pilgrims visiting Iraq in Muharram
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has launched special flights to Najaf,
Iraq, to facilitate pilgrims during the Islamic month of Muharram, Radio Pakistan reported.
The cities of Najaf and Karbala hold significant importance for Shia
Muslims, who travel there during Muharram to pay homage to Imam Hussain, the
grandson of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Read More Pakistan
allows Iraq's national airline for additional flights to accommodate pilgrims
“Pakistan International Airlines has launched special flights for Najaf to
facilitate pilgrims during Muharram,” stated the Radio Pakistan report. “The
flight operation, called ‘Operation Ashura,’ aims to provide a seamless travel
experience for pilgrims during this significant period of religious
observance.”
Return flights from Najaf are scheduled to begin on July 20.
Pakistan’s central moon-sighting committee convened on Saturday in Quetta
and announced that the first of Muharram would be observed on July 8, with
Ashura, marking the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, to be observed on July 17.
Ashura, observed on the 10th of Muharram, sees hundreds of thousands of Shia
Muslims participating in religious gatherings and processions in Pakistan to
mourn Hussain’s martyrdom. These events occur under tight security due to the
threat of attacks by militant groups, which have targeted such gatherings in
the past, resulting in numerous casualties.
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seeking expanded aviation rights with Iraq
To ensure proper security measures, Punjab province has proposed a ban on
all social media platforms from Muharram 6-11. Provincial information minister
Azma Bukhari stated that this measure aims to protect Shia Muslims from
sectarian violence and control the spread of hate speech and misinformation, as
indicated in a letter to Pakistan’s interior ministry last week.
Source: Arab News