A pilgrimage to nowhere

The Karavan of Pride, a Karachi-based travel company, responsible for taking approximately 700 Pakistani pilgrims to Iran and Iraq, is no longer a source of pride — neither to its management, nor to the pilgrims. Stranded, and by some accounts, without their passports, these pilgrims had been left in Iran, as they did not have the relevant entry clearance to Iraq, which was the responsibility of the travel company. The agency had failed to procure visas for Iraq for the pilgrims.

The travel agency was paid to take these pilgrims first to Iran, then to Iraq, to observe Ashura, however, the trip — almost half as cheap as those organised by other travel companies — was cut short, leaving the pilgrims stranded in Iran. The fact that the travel company has locked its doors and the owner remains at large, point towards malicious and reckless abandon. Playing with the religious sentiments of people is highly deplorable and unacceptable. It also shows a lack of morals, ethics and professionalism.

What is most upsetting is that the company paid no heed to the consequences and aftermath of its actions. Women, children and numerous families were stranded in a foreign land — most without any knowledge of the language of the country.

Fortunately, the pilgrims have returned safely to Pakistan. They were met with hospitality at the hands of the Iranian government and the people who supported them by providing them with shelter and food.

Unsurprisingly (and conveniently), the tour guide travelling with the pilgrims had earlier ‘disappeared’ — allegedly with the pilgrims’ passports. The government must not allow such a crime to go unnoticed, and must bring the perpetrators to justice. Accountability will help put an end to, or reduce the occurrence of such incidents in the future.

The unfortunate event is baffling in its own right. It’s perplexing to know that a travel company can even fathom just abandoning its clients in a foreign country in this manner, but since this has happened once, it can happen again. The Pakistani passport already creates enough problems for its holders internationally; we don’t need another reason to be denied access to other countries.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 20^th, 2015.