Iraq refutes disappearance of 50,000 Pakistanis

As foreigners traveled to Iraq’s Karbala to visit sacred sites, the story of the disappearance of 50,000 Pakistanis in Iraq continued to spark controversy.

The issue has furthermore demonstrated how some visitors of the holy places in Iraq take advantage of their vacations in order to work in Iraq without a valid visa.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday that it has gotten in touch with the Pakistani Minister of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, to get further information about his comments regarding the disappearance of Pakistanis in Iraq.

Hussain denied reports that 50,000 Pakistanis had gone missing in Iraq, stating that there was miscommunication on his remarks.

The Pakistani minister mentioned earlier via X, formerly Twitter, that he received information from the Iraqi Ambassador in Pakistan that 50,000 Pakistanis had visited Karbala but had not returned home.

Hussain then released an explanation on social media, claiming that his words were misinterpreted and misused against Pakistan.

He emphasized that the figure actually refers to Pakistanis who traveled to Iraq and have not returned home in recent years, not just the past year.

Given the high unemployment rate and lack of job opportunities in the country, Iraqi authorities have been battling the unlawful recruitment of foreign workers.

Iranians, Syrians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis frequently go to Iraq for religious tourism, but some have taken advantage of their presence there to work without authorization.