According to Atabe News, Reza Khorakian, Director General of the Holy Razavi Shrine, met on Thursday morning, November 5, with Allama Seyyed Shahenshah Hossein Naqvi, Friday Prayer Leader and Preacher of Karachi, Pakistan. Referring to the special place of Pakistani pilgrims, Khorakian said: “Pakistani pilgrims are among the most honored visitors of Imam Reza (AS), because they endure many hardships to reach Mashhad and visit His luminous shrine.”

Pointing to the difficulties Pakistani pilgrims face during overland journeys, including long delays along the route, security restrictions, and transportation problems, he added that despite all these challenges, they travel to visit Imam Reza (AS) with deep faith and devotion. Their enthusiasm and sincerity deserve greater attention and service.

The Director General also referred to measures taken to improve the comfort of Pakistani pilgrims, saying that a facility has been designated along their route into Iran to provide them with rest and hospitality and help ease some of their difficulties.

The Holy Razavi Shrine Ready to Hold Cultural Programs in Urdu

Khorakian stressed the need to expand direct cultural engagement with the people of Pakistan and proposed holding cultural and religious programs at the holy shrine with the active participation of cultural figures and personalities from that country.

Referring to the potential of live broadcasts and joint Urdu-language productions, he said that the shrine's facilities could be used to broadcast speeches, Quran recitations, poetry readings, and cultural and religious presentations by Pakistani personalities, making these programs available to audiences in Pakistan directly from the Holy Razavi Shrine.

He also announced Astan Quds Razavi's readiness to cooperate in sending cultural and religious delegations to Pakistan, emphasizing the importance of drawing on the capacities of well-known cultural figures and institutions in the country.

Referring to the shared cultural heritage of Iran and Pakistan, the Director General identified holding a Pakistan Cultural Week at the Holy Razavi Shrine as another initiative worth pursuing. He noted that the shrine's museum treasury also houses valuable artifacts from Pakistan, including manuscripts and works associated with the country's cultural and academic figures, which could provide an opportunity to highlight the historical and cultural ties between the two nations.

He further pointed to the prominent place of Allama Muhammad Iqbal in the cultural and intellectual traditions of Iran and Pakistan, describing him as a suitable focal point for expanding cultural dialogue between the two countries.

Proposal to Hold Imam Reza's (AS) Martyrdom Commemoration in Pakistan

Another topic discussed during the meeting was the expansion of the Holy Razavi Shrine's international programs during the final days of the month of Safar.

Referring to differences in religious traditions among regional countries regarding the date of Imam Reza's (AS) martyrdom, Khorakian said that in Pakistan, the 17th of Safar is also observed as an occasion for mourning ceremonies commemorating the Imam's martyrdom. Accordingly, he proposed that, in planning future programs, part of Astan Quds Razavi's international activities be held in Pakistan on this occasion, with the participation of a delegation of shrine servants and cultural activists.

It was also proposed that, in cooperation with Pakistani religious and cultural figures, a ceremony in the name and memory of Imam Reza (AS) be held in Karachi, with the blessed flag of the Holy Razavi Shrine present at the event.

Concluding his remarks, Khorakian emphasized that the Holy Razavi Shrine belongs to all devotees of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS), regardless of nationality or language. He announced the shrine's readiness to make some of its porticos available for cultural and religious programs in Urdu and welcomed the proposal to use Imam Khomeini Portico for special programs serving Pakistani pilgrims.

In the continuation of the meeting, Allama Seyyed Shahenshah Hossein Naqvi referred to the decline in the number of Pakistani pilgrims in recent months, identifying special security conditions and travel restrictions along the routes as the main reasons.

He also stressed the need to address the cultural and religious needs of Pakistani pilgrims at the Holy Razavi Shrine, emphasizing that an appropriate space should be designated for their presence, pilgrimage, and mourning ceremonies in Urdu. He said Pakistani pilgrims also need a space suited to their language and culture, where they can hold their religious ceremonies and cultural programs alongside their pilgrimage.

At the end of the meeting, the Director General of the Holy Razavi Shrine presented a blessed gift from Astan Quds Razavi to the Pakistani delegation as a commemorative gesture.

Following the meeting, Allama Seyyed Shahenshah Naqvi, accompanied by a group of pilgrims from the Indian subcontinent, visited the tomb of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution. He then visited the Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi, where he donated a 14-volume collection on the notable martyrs of Pakistan, entitled Maqatel al-Shia, to the library.