Committee Rejects Exaggerated Claims
The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development dismissed claims that 40,000 Pakistani pilgrims went missing in Iraq. Committee Chairman Senator Zeeshan Khanzada led the meeting, where Senator Raja Nasir Abbas confirmed that the reports were highly exaggerated.
Iraqi and Pakistani Officials Confirm Error
Senator Abbas said he met the Iraqi Prime Minister, who termed the reports false. He also spoke with Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Affairs, who confirmed the same. “It was a mistake,” Senator Abbas told the committee.
Detentions and Legal Proceedings in Iraq
Interior Ministry officials clarified that only 27 Pakistanis had been detained in Iraq. Out of 81 total detainees, 30 remain under trial. The officials emphasized that earlier figures in circulation were misleading.
Passport Confiscation Raises Concern
Senator Abbas highlighted that Pakistani passports were being confiscated at airports abroad, including in Iraq. He called this treatment degrading and unacceptable. “Such behavior is not even directed at Afghan nationals,” he stressed. Ministry representatives assured the committee that this matter would be addressed diplomatically.
Status of Pakistanis in Foreign Prisons
The committee received an update on Pakistanis imprisoned abroad. According to Interior Ministry data, 21,647 Pakistanis are in jails worldwide. Among them, over 13,000 face trial, while more than 8,000 have been convicted.
Committee Participation
The session was also attended by PTI’s newly elected Senator Faisal Javed, who contributed to the committee discussions.
Also on TTI:
Rainfall Records Across the Twin Cities
According to official rainfall data, Islamabad’s Saidpur received 40 millimetres, while Golra recorded 66 millimetres. In Rawalpindi, Shamsabad saw 25 millimetres, Pirwadhai registered 35 millimetres, and New Katarian recorded 60 millimetres.
Continuous monitoring of Nullah Lai and drainage channels is underway as water levels have risen significantly. At Katarian, water in Nullah Lai reached 13 feet, while at Gawalmandi, it stood at four feet.
Authorities Place Emergency Response in Motion
The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has imposed a rain emergency. Heavy machinery and staff are actively deployed in different areas. According to WASA officials, all precautionary steps have been taken to minimize flood risk.
Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Hassan Waqar Cheema inspected several locations and confirmed that an advanced flood warning system has been activated. He added that civic bodies remain on high alert as the Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast more heavy rainfall in the coming days.
