The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has invited licensed air operators to apply for chartered flight services between Pakistan and Iran/Iraq to facilitate pilgrims, 24NewsHD reported Tuesday.
The initiative comes after the federal government recently prohibited road travel to these countries, citing heightened security risks for pilgrims.
In an official notice, the PCAA encouraged all valid air charter license holders to submit applications. The charter flights will particularly serve the large number of Pakistani pilgrims who travel annually for religious purposes, especially for Arbaeen in Iraq and other significant religious events in Iran.
The authority assured that applications related to religious tourism will be prioritized. It further stated that coordination with relevant departments will ensure safe, efficient, and timely air travel for pilgrims during the peak pilgrimage season.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also reaffirmed the government’s position through a post on X (formerly Twitter), stressing that road travel for Arbaeen will remain banned this year, and pilgrims will only be allowed to fly to Iran and Iraq.
Religious tour operators have welcomed the move, noting that air travel will provide pilgrims with a safer and faster alternative to the hazardous land routes. With the charter flight option in place, operators are expected to quickly step in to facilitate thousands of travelers.