Islamabad, December 12,2025: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi held an important meeting with Iraqi Interior Minister General Abdul Ameer Al-Shammari on Thursday, with both sides agreeing to deepen cooperation and enhance facilities for Pakistani pilgrims travelling to Iraq.
According to the Interior Ministry, the two ministers held a detailed discussion on strengthening collaboration between the interior ministries of both countries on a sustainable and effective basis. They agreed to expand coordination to ensure smooth pilgrim arrangements as well as progress in broader security cooperation.
General Al-Shammari appreciated Pakistan’s recent efforts to formally organise and regulate pilgrim groups, describing the steps as “commendable” and noting that such measures were undertaken for the first time under the current administration. He assured that all pilgrims included in the list provided by Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior would be granted entry into Iraq.
Minister Naqvi stressed that pilgrims visiting Iraq would not be allowed to overstay beyond their approved duration. He said relevant institutions from both countries would remain in close contact to ensure compliance, smooth coordination and improved facilitation.
Both ministers also agreed to strengthen cooperation in counterterrorism, preventing human trafficking, enhancing information-sharing, and developing a joint mechanism for coordinated action.
Naqvi expressed gratitude to the Iraqi government and people for their continued cooperation and hospitality towards Pakistani pilgrims, emphasising that their safety, dignity and facilitation remained the Government of Pakistan’s top priority.
General Al-Shammari announced that he would soon visit Pakistan to finalise a joint plan aimed at enhancing pilgrim services, deepening security cooperation, and further boosting bilateral ties.
