A Senate committee has dismissed viral reports claiming that 40,000 Pakistani pilgrims disappeared in Iraq, calling them grossly inaccurate.
At a session of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Senator Raja Nasir Abbas said both Iraqi and Pakistani officials confirmed the figures were fabricated. “I met Iraq’s Prime Minister, and he categorically denied these claims. Pakistan’s religious affairs minister echoed the same. This was simply a mistake,” Abbas told the panel, which was chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada.
Ministry of Interior officials backed this statement with numbers, revealing that only 27 Pakistanis are in Iraqi custody, while 30 others out of a total of 81 face ongoing legal proceedings.
Concerns Over Passport Seizures Abroad
Abbas also raised another issue: Pakistani travelers reportedly having their passports confiscated at airports in countries like Iraq. Calling the practice “humiliating” and “worse than what Afghan nationals face,” he urged the government to intervene. Ministry representatives promised to pursue the matter through diplomatic channels.
Over 21,000 Pakistanis Behind Bars Overseas
The committee was briefed on the broader state of Pakistani nationals jailed abroad. According to the Interior Ministry, more than 21,600 Pakistanis are currently imprisoned in foreign countries. Of these, over 13,000 are awaiting trial while around 8,000 have already been convicted.
This meeting highlighted both the dangers of misinformation around overseas Pakistanis and the challenges they face abroad, from legal troubles to alleged mistreatment at border points.
