Pakistani Shiites Protest Government Ban on Arbaeen Road Pilgrimage

Pakistani Shiites Protest Government Ban on Arbaeen Road Pilgrimage
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Pakistani Shiites are expressing widespread anger and holding protests against the government’s ban on ground travel for the upcoming Arbaeen pilgrimage to Iran and Iraq, Abna news agency reported. The ban specifically targets cross-border road travel during Arbaeen, the largest annual religious gathering in the world.

In Karachi, the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) organized a protest rally, drawing numerous religious scholars, devotees, and citizens. Speakers at the rally, including Allama Hayat Abbas Najafi and Allama Muhammad Sadiq Jafri, condemned the government’s decision, emphasizing the spiritual importance of the Arbaeen journey for millions of Muslims and urging authorities to reverse the ban. Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri, a central leader of MWM Pakistan, had previously announced plans for a large-scale protest march towards the Rimdan border in response to the ban.

The Vice-Chairman of the Council of Shiite Scholars of Pakistan denounced the ban as a “clear insult to religious freedom” and demanded the immediate reopening of these pilgrimage routes. The head of MWM Sindh province described the ban as a “sign of management failure” and a deliberate attempt to weaken the Arbaeen procession.

Shiite activists and groups across Pakistan have called for the immediate lifting of restrictions, guaranteed security for pilgrims, and have indicated readiness for nationwide protests if the situation persists. This issue has garnered significant attention within Pakistan’s political and religious spheres, raising concerns about the potential undermining of Shiites’ right to pilgrimage.