AhlulBayt News Agency: The Balochistan Shia Conference has expressed deep concern over the ongoing closure of the Taftan border, which has been restricting the movement of pilgrims traveling to Iran and Iraq for religious visits to sacred sites. The border has been closed for the past eight months, causing severe difficulties for the majority of Shia pilgrims, most of whom are from low-income backgrounds.
During a recent cabinet meeting of the Balochistan Shia Conference held in Quetta, members discussed the adverse impact of the border closure. The conference leadership appealed to the Government of Pakistan and the Chief of Army Staff to take immediate action to reopen the Taftan border for pilgrims' travel.
"The Taftan border has been closed due to unspecified reasons, and this is causing immense hardship for the pilgrims," stated the conference's official statement. "Around 95% of the pilgrims traveling to visit sacred sites in Iran and Iraq come from impoverished families, and Taftan is their only viable route. The remaining 5% travel by air, which is financially inaccessible for most."
The conference highlighted that with the high cost of air travel, most pilgrims are unable to afford flights, making the Taftan border the most critical point of access for them. The participants of the meeting emphasized that the recent issuance of the "Group Organizers Policy" for pilgrims further necessitates the opening of the border to facilitate organized travel.
The Balochistan Shia Conference has called for urgent steps to reopen the Taftan border to ease the suffering of the pilgrims and ensure their safe and affordable journey to the holy sites. The statement also emphasized that the closure of the border is an ongoing injustice to the people who rely on this route for their spiritual journeys.
The plea comes amidst growing concerns over the humanitarian impact of the prolonged border restrictions and is expected to draw attention to the plight of pilgrims from across Pakistan, particularly from the economically disadvantaged regions of Balochistan.
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