ISLAMABAD, July 16 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed their deep sorrow over the martyrdom of innocent civilians in Kalat district of Balochistan, who were attacked by the Indian-backed terrorist group “Fitna-ul-Hindustan” on a passenger bus traveling from Karachi to Quetta.
The president strongly condemned the incident and said that the act of targeting innocent civilians was highly condemnable and barbaric, adding that terrorists wanted to disrupt peace and stability in the province as they were the enemies of humanity.
The president and the prime minister expressed their condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for their patience and strength.
The president and the prime minister also directed for immediate medical assistance to the injured.
“The terrorists who harm the lives and property of innocent and unarmed civilians will have to pay a very heavy price,” PM Office Media Wing, in a press release, quoted the prime minister as saying.
The president and the prime minister reaffirmed that the government and security forces were fully determined to eliminate terrorism from the country.
“With the support of the nation, we will eradicate the cancer of terrorism from the country,” President Secretariat Press Wing, in a press release, quoted the president as saying.
By Rehan Khan
ISLAMABAD, July 16 (APP): The government in a bid to ensure transparency, accountability, and better coordination with host countries, has formally launched the implementation of the Pilgrimage Management Policy, under which all pilgrimages to Iran, Iraq, and Syria will now be conducted through officially registered Zaireen Group Organizers (ZGOs).
The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony referring to the press conference held by the Federal Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf the other day, explained that for decades, visits to the sacred sites in these countries were arranged by private caravan operators. However, the absence of an integrated system meant there was no reliable data on the number of pilgrims, their travel schedules, or confirmations of their return, creating repeated concerns among host governments and Pakistani institutions.
The ministry said due to the old unregulated system, we cannot determine with certainty how many individuals stayed behind or for how long – we can only make estimates.
To address this gap, the federal cabinet has approved a new policy under which ZGOs must be registered with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony. This move is expected to replace the current informal structure with a coordinated, transparent, and government-monitored framework for managing religious travel.
The new system will also help prevent misuse of pilgrimage routes, such as illegal overstays or attempts to cross into other neighboring countries under the pretext of religious travel, the ministry explained.
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