244th Corps Commanders Conference (CCC) was held at General Headquarters (GHQ) today.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa, presided over the conference. The forum took a comprehensive review of the evolving security situation in the region with a particular focus on Border Management and Internal Security.
Taking serious note of the defamatory propaganda by the Indian military, the forum expressed resolve to take all necessary measures to safeguard Pakistan’s territorial integrity.
“The baseless propaganda only reflects their frustration and an attempt to divert attention from their internal contradictions especially gross human rights violations, being committed in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK),” COAS remarked.
COAS appreciated operational preparedness of formations and focus on training, including enhanced collaboration with foreign militaries and conduct of joint exercises in the operational and counter-terrorism domain.
People took to social media to wish Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on his 69th birthday on Tuesday.
#HappyBirthdayPMIK quickly became one of the top trends on Twitter.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) official Twitter account shared a video of PM Khan with the caption, “Compromise for your Dream but never Compromise on your Dream ~Imran Khan #HappyBirthdayPMIK.”
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared a post highlighting a track record of his phenomenal performances.
3807 runs and 362 wickets in Tests 🔴 3709 runs and 182 wickets in ODIs ⚪️ Third leading wicket-taker for Pakistan in Tests 🥉 A match-winning all rounder ⭐ A @cricketworldcup winning captain 🏆 And our Prime Minister 🇵🇰
From PTI leaders to cricketers, all wished the PM on his birthday.
Happy Birthday to the legend of our game. May you live a healthy life and keep inspiring us to do better. I hope you have a good year ahead for our beloved country. #HappyBirthdayPMIKpic.twitter.com/eHmmimAqn8
The government has decided to give an extension to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal and a draft ordinance has been prepared, Ayaz Akbar Yousafzai reports forGeo News.
Law Minister Dr Farogh Naseem, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan, and Adviser on Interior and Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar suggested changes in the law.
According to sources privy to the matter, more than one amendment has been proposed.
Geo reports that Prime Minister Imran Khan will chair a meeting today (Tuesday), in which a final approval will be given to the proposal drafted in consultation with federal ministers.
The tenure of a NAB chairman cannot be extended under section 6(b) of the NAB Ordinance 1999.
Earlier, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari tweeted that the PPP will forcefully oppose the illegal extension in the tenure of Chairman NAB.
Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Monday formed a high-powered cell to investigate the 700 Pakistanis named in the Pandora Papers, including federal cabinet members, politicians, retired generals, owners of media houses, and others in establishing offshore companies.
PM Khan categorically stated that the prominent leaders and federal ministers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will have to clear themselves.
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, while speaking to Dawn said: “The prime minister was adamant that those who have been accused in Pandora Papers of having offshore firms will have to clear themselves.”
The minister took to Twitter and informed about the formulation of the high-powered investigation cell. “The prime minister has set up a high-level cell under the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission to investigate the Pandora leaks, which will present the facts before the nation,” tweeted Fawad.
پنڈورا لیکس کی تحقیقات کیلئے وزیر اعظم پاکستان نے وزیر اعظم انسپکشن کمیشن کے تحت ایک اعلیٰ سطحی سیل قائم کیا ہے یہ سیل پنڈورا لیکس میں شامل تمام افراد سے جواب طلبی کرے گا اور حقائق قوم کے سامنے رکھیں جائینگے #PandoraLeaks
Law Minister Farogh Naseem would head the investigation cell that would also comprise the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials. The cases of the cabinet members would be sent to NAB for investigation. A separate probe will be launched by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to investigate the media owners whose names are included in the Pandora Papers, reports Dawn.
Those who had evaded tax or made offshore firms through ill-gotten money would be taken to task, otherwise, no action would be taken against others because establishing offshore firms was not a crime, the source tells Dawn.
Under the law, setting up an offshore company is not an offence or crime if the company is not involved in any illegal activity. However, those who have not declared these companies in their returns as assets may face legal action.
After the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) released a detailed list of public figures with offshore companies called the ‘Pandora Papers’ as part of their new investigation, PM Khan vowed to investigate all those Pakistanis mentioned in the Pandora Papers, and tweeted: “If any wrongdoing is established we will take appropriate action.”
My govt will investigate all our citizens mentioned in the Pandora Papers & if any wrongdoing is established we will take appropriate action. I call on the international community to treat this grave injustice as similar to the climate change crisis.
More than 700 Pakistanis are in the data revealed in Pandora Papers and a majority of them are tax residents in Pakistan, reports Umar Cheema for The News.
Key members of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet, retired civilian and military officials and their families as well as owners of some of the country’s top media outlets, secretly own or have owned an array of companies and trusts holding millions of dollars in offshore jurisdictions, Fakhar Durrani reports for The News.
Politicians in Pandora Papers
The revelations made in the Pandora Papers, which contain the names of some prominent and key figures in Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet, will be a test case for PM Khan to make his close associates answerable for holding offshore companies.
Below is the list of a few of the many prominent politicians of the government and Opposition whose names are in the Pandora Papers.
1. Shaukat Tarin:
Shaukat Tarin was recently inducted into Khan’s cabinet and appointed Finance and Revenue Minister. Tarin and three of his family members have four offshore companies registered in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) jurisdiction. The Tarin family incorporated four offshore companies —Triperna Inc, Hamraa Inc, Seafex Inc, and Moonen Inc — all of them in 2014.
Tarin confirmed being part of the above companies directly or through his family members for the sole purpose of raising capital for his bank.
“We were in negotiations with a Middle East conglomerate for raising capital for my bank, through a structured transaction. The proposed investor had also taken the Central Bank’s in-principle approval for the investment.” He added that the companies remained dysfunctional and no business was carried out through them.
2. Faisal Vawda:
Former minister for water resources, Faisal Vawda, his wife, and his sister have an offshore company. The Vawda family incorporated Dazzling Worldwide Ltd in the BVI jurisdiction in 2012 to invest in UK properties, the Pandora Papers show.
Vawda told the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) that he has declared all the worldwide assets held in his name to the Pakistani tax authorities.
3. Abdul Aleem Khan:
Another close aide of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Abdul Aleem Khan also owns an offshore company. The Pandora Papers show that the registered directors of Hexam Investment Overseas Limited (BVI) — Aleem Khan and his wife — approved a written resolution of the offshore company on March 1, 2017, and confirmed being directors of Hexam Investment.
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had also initiated an investigation against Aleem Khan. It is, however, not confirmed whether he has declared the company in his tax returns or not.
Aleem Khan is now the owner of Samaa News.
4: Chaudhry Moonis Elahi:
Federal Minister for Water Resources Moonis Elahi was the Settlor and Investment Director of the Green Hills Trust and Winthrop Fund.
Moonis wanted to invest money from the 2007 sale of land owned by Phalia Sugar Mills, an Elahi family business. Thomson Reuters Risk Management Solutions carried out due diligence of Moonis Elahi and produced a 19-page report with the details of his alleged involvement in corrupt land projects. The report mentioned fraudulent loans from the bank and selling the land to a government department. However, despite this due diligence report, Moonis was accepted as Asiaciti’s client.
The family spokesperson of Chaudhrys said that the assets of the family, including Chaudry Pervaiz Elahi and Chaudry Moonis Elahi, are declared as per applicable law.
5. Ali Dar:
The Pandora Papers reveal that former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s son, Ali Dar, owns two companies — Baraq Holdings Ltd and Dar Al Nahyan Ltd — registered in the British Virgin Islands.
Dar in his reply to The News said Dar Al Nahyan Limited remained dormant and no business has been done in the company, which has now been struck off the register. He said he has never been a tax resident in Pakistan and nor has he ever been involved in any professional employment or business activities whatsoever in Pakistan.
6. Sharjeel Inam Memon:
Former information minister in the Sindh government Sharjeel Inam Memon also owned three offshore companies in the BVI jurisdiction. The three companies that are owned by the Memon family include Ocean Wave Technologies Corp, Arctic Development Corp., and New Coast Executive Inc.
The companies are involved in the real estate business. The former provincial minister while talking to The News neither denied nor confirmedthe companies’ ownership.
Media owners included in Pandora Papers
The Pandora Papers have brought forth some media owners’ names who have offshore companies in offshore jurisdictions.
1. Hameed Haroon:
Hameed Haroon — CEO of Dawn media group — owns an offshore company Bardney Limited, registered in Seychelles.
In his official response to The News, Haroon said the company is duly declared and is being reported to the relevant authorities in Pakistan in accordance with the applicable laws of the land.
2. Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman:
Jang Group’s Publisher Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman (MSR) owns an offshore company Brookwood Ventures Limited in the BVI jurisdiction. Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was transferred the shares of the company on April 17, 2008.
Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, responding to the investigation cell, said, “No, it’s not true, I don’t own any company. However, I had this till 2018.” The News also asked him that the British Virgin Islands is a tax and secrecy haven. Why he opted to set up a company there. MSR replied that people invest in BVI as it offers attractive conditions for investment. MSR was also asked if he declared the company with the relevant tax authorities to which he said, “Yes, it was part of my wealth for the tax year 2018 and subject to taxes where applicable.”
3. Sultan Ali Lakhani:
Express Media Group Sultan Ali Lakhani also owns an offshore company Century Media Network Inc. The company was incorporated in February 2005.
The spokesperson of the Lakhani family said all companies are legal and as per law of the land wherever applicable.
4. Gourmet Group:
Pandora Papers reveal that an employee of Gourmet group named Amna Butt was appointed director of an offshore company, Gourmet Holdings Limited in the BVI jurisdiction. The Gourmet group owns a large chain of bakeries across Punjab. In addition, the group owns a news channel called Gourmet News Network (GNN) as well.
It is, however, not confirmed whether the company is declared with the Pakistani tax authorities or not. Amna Butt was sent a questionnaire by The News, but no response has been received from her.
Military officials and family included in Pandora Papers
Apart from the politicians, media owners, and civilian bureaucrats, some top retired military officials have also been named in the new leaks.
1. Major General (retd) Nusrat Naeem:
Major General (retd) Nusrat Naeem owned a BVI company, Afghan Oil & Gas Ltd that was registered in 2009, shortly after his retirement. In his response to the ICIJ, he said that the company had been set up by a friend and that he did not use it for any financial transactions.
2. Ahsan Latif:
Ahsan Latif — son-in-law of former Governor Punjab Lt General (retd) Khalid Maqbool — owned an offshore company, Dylan Capital Limited, registered in the British Virgin Islands.
It is not clear whether Ahsan Latif has declared the above-mentioned assets before the tax authorities in Pakistan. The News sent a query to him but received no response from him
3. Muhammad Hasan Muzaffar:
Pandora Papers reveal that Muhammad Hasan Muzaffar, son of Lt General (retd) Muhammad Afzal Muzaffar, owned shares in a company registered in the British Virgin Islands, Creek Growth Capital Holding Ltd. The offshore company owned Southeast Healthcare Holding, which in turn controlled a Dubai-based medical centre that now appears to be closed.
Hasan told ICIJ that the simple fact is there is no relation of this investment to his father. He further commented that the investment was made solely from his own income earned in the UAE and came from his UAE bank account. No other family member, including his father, was involved.
4. Shafatullah Shah:
The former military secretary of Gen Pervez Musharraf, Lt Gen (retd) Shafatullah Shah owns an expensive apartment in London through an offshore company, which is in the names of his wife and son.
5. Raja Nadir Pervez:
Pandora Papers also reveal that Raja Nadir Pervez, a retired army lieutenant colonel and former minister in the Nawaz Sharif-led government, owned International Finance & Equipment Ltd, a BVI-registered company. In the leaked files, the firm is involved in machinery and related businesses in India, Thailand, Russia, and China.
He is currently a member of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Raja Nadir Pervez did not respond to ICIJ reporters’ questions.
Businessmen and civil bureaucrats included in Pandora Papers
1. Yawar Salman:
Son of bureaucrat Salman Siddique, Yawar Salman along with another partner Noeen Ahmed Anwar registered an offshore company, just a little before the former’s father’s retirement. The company is called Cres Tech Holdings Limited in the BVI.
Yawar Salman told The News that the entity Cres Tech Holdings was incorporated as part of a then-envisaged plan to undertake a foreign business. However, owing to certain circumstances, neither any equity was contributed nor any bank account opened. Since no equity was ever contributed and the entity’s worth remains ‘nil’, the question of disclosing it to the tax authorities does not arise.
2. Javed Afridi:
The Pandora Papers have also revealed that the owner of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise, Peshawar Zalmi, and renowned industrialist Javed Afridi owns three offshore companies in the BVI jurisdiction. Afridi is the beneficial owner of Old Trafford Properties Ltd, Sutton Gas Works Properties Ltd, and Gas Works Property Ltd.
Javed Afridi in his response confirmed to The News ownership of three offshore companies. He said the reason to incorporate them was for the good intention to save tax rather than avoiding any tax. According to him, the companies were almost dormant, and no business or investment was done by any of the companies.
Pandora Papers
The papers are named after the Greek myth of Pandora’s box. In the tale, Pandora opens a sealed box containing the forces of evil and suffering which, once released, were uncontainable.
BBC quoted Gerard Ryle, the director of ICIJ, as saying this leak was given the name because “we’re opening a box on a lot of things”.
This information revealed above has been named Pandora Papers and it adds significantly to what was discovered in the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers.
The Pandora Papers have unmasked the fortunes of more than 330 public officials in 90 countries. Included among them are 35 current and former leaders of different countries. The King of Jordan, the rulers of Qatar and Dubai, presidents of the Ukraine, Kenya, and Ecuador, the prime ministers of the Czech Republic and Lebanon, and former British prime minister Tony Blair, all appear in the secret files.
For Pakistan, the files pose a big test to the accountability credentials of Prime Minister Imran Khan, who had found the Panama Papers a “God-sent” opportunity to burnish his credentials as an anti-corruption warrior.
The documents were leaked to the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) which for nearly two years led an investigation collaborating with more than 600 journalists in 117 countries. This is the biggest journalism partnership in history, which involved 150 media organisations. For the Panama Papers, almost 400 journalists from 80 countries participated in the investigation. The News was the only ICIJ partner from Pakistan on both occasions. The Pandora Papers comprise 11.9 million documents whereas the Panama Papers had 11.5 million, reports The News.
According to PM Khan, this initiative will bring improvement in the living standards of the public and his government is trying to change priorities to uplift unprivileged families.
While talking about the previous governments, he said that they had flawed policies which left behind the marginalized segments of the society and said that this project should have been launched 74 years ago.
“We made a huge mistake 74 years ago. We believed that we would make Pakistan a welfare state after there was prosperity and wealth in the country. The thought — that there needs to be surplus first and then we (government) will invest in the poor — I believe these were fundamentally wrong decisions,” said the premier.
Referring to China’s ideology, the PM said that Beijing took measures to facilitate the low sectors of people and became a developed country within 35 years.
The programme will be rolled out in phases. During the first phase, the loans will be provided to the deserving families in Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK), Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and the underprivileged areas of Punjab and Sindh.
Under this, the government will provide Rs1.4 trillion micro-loans to 3.7 million households across the country.
This scheme has five components Kamyab Kissan, Kamyab Karobar, Naya Pakistan low-cost housing, Kamyab Hunarmand and Sehatmand Pakistan.
It also includes a user-friendly portal called Kamyab Pakistan Information System (KPIS). The portal will be integrated with Ehsaas and National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) databases for verification of beneficiaries’ eligibility.
Former TV anchor Aamir Liaquat Husain has resigned from Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI). “Resigned from the National Assembly. May Allah Almighty support Imran Khan and PTI. Good Bye,” Aamir said in a tweet.
قومی اسمبلی سے استعفی ارسال کردیا ہے اللہ تعالی عمران خان اور پی ٹی آئی کا حامی و نا صر ہو ۔ اللہ حافظ
Earlier, Aamir offered his resignation last year in July but Prime Minister Imran refused his resignation. He won on a PTI ticket from NA-245 in the 2018.
Aamir Liaquat has been criticised for being a controversial figure, especially while hosting Ramzan transmissions. This year, in January, Aamir made the news again for rumours surrounding his divorce with his second wife Syeda Tuba Aamir. Aamir denied the rumours but his wife Tuba has still not addressed the issue.
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which has been investigating international finance and tax havens, has released a detailed list of public figures with offshore companies called the ‘Pandora Papers’ as part of their new investigation.
Nearly 700 Pakistanis have been named in the report including Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) leader Sharjeel Memon, Pakistan Muslim League -Nawaz’s (PML-N) Senator Ishaq Dar’s son Ali Dar, Punjab provincial minister Aleem Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Faisal Vawda, Pakistan Muslim League- Quaid (PML-Q) leader and Federal Minister for Water Resources Monis Elahi.
Reacting to the news, Prime Minister Imran Khan vowed to investigate all those Pakistanis mentioned in the Pandora Papers, and tweeted: “If any wrongdoing is established we will take appropriate action.”
My govt will investigate all our citizens mentioned in the Pandora Papers & if any wrongdoing is established we will take appropriate action. I call on the international community to treat this grave injustice as similar to the climate change crisis.
“We welcome the Pandora Papers exposing the ill-gotten wealth of elites, accumulated through tax evasion & corruption & laundered out to financial ‘havens’. The UN SG’s Panel FACTI calculated a staggering $7 trillion in stolen assets parked in largely offshore tax havens,” he wrote on his official Twitter handle.
We welcome the Pandora Papers exposing the ill-gotten wealth of elites, accumulated through tax evasion & corruption & laundered out to financial "havens". The UN SG's Panel FACTI calculated a staggering $7 trillion in stolen assets parked in largely offshore tax havens.
“I call on the international community to treat this grave injustice as similar to the climate change crisis,” he added.
As per Geo News, Pandora Papers is a development to what has earlier been revealed in the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers, as per reports.
The ICIJ’s major investigation titled: “The Pandora Papers”, is said to be the result of 600 journalists in 117 countries studying for months roughly 11.9 million documents that leaked from the offshore environment.
Journalist Umar Cheema, who was part of the ICIJ’s team investigating the Pandora Papers, said that the names of several Pakistanis were on the Pandora Papers, adding that people should wait for another day as the report will officially be released on October 3.
Claim: PMLN Leader Maryam Nawaz’s son Junaid Safdar’s name came up in the Pandora Papers.
Fact:
Following the revelations in the Pandora Papers, featuring names of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ministers as well as Opposition members, some channels shared the news that Junaid Safdar, who is the son of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz, also has five offshore companies registered in his name.
As per reports, the government-run channel, Pakistan Television Network (PTV), aired the news of Junaid Safdar’s offshore companies.
11:13پرPTVکےپلیٹ فارم پراِس پروگرام میں کہاگیاکہ اطلاعات کیمطابق @MaryamNSharif کےبیٹے جنیدصفدر کی آف شور کمپنیز بھی نکل آئی ہیں۔ اس سے پہلے وفاقی وزیر کی ٹویٹ اطلاعات کے مطابق؛ شہباز گِل کی حتمی ٹویٹ PTV بینر کیساتھ آ چکی تھیں۔ حکومتی لوگوں نے کہا PTV پر یہ بات آن ائیر نہیں ہوئی pic.twitter.com/V1ymEh97eJ
Shahbaz Gill, while speaking on ARY News programme ‘Sawal Yeh Hai’, backed the news stating that PTV broke the news of Maryam Nawaz’s son owning offshore companies. “It is not possible that when it comes to theft or hiding information, we don’t see Maryam Baji’s [Maryam Nawaz’s] name there. Her son’s three to five companies have also been uncovered.”
اے آر وائی، PTV کو quote کر رہا ہے ، @MaryamNSharif کےبیٹےجنیدصفدر کی آف شورکمپنیزکی خبر کے بارے میں۔ SAPM، حکومتی ترجمان شہبازگِل یہاں بھی یہی خبردےرہےہیں11:15پر جو 11:02 پر ٹویٹ بھی کیا اورPTV کی خبر کو درست بھی قرار دے رہے ہیں اعتبار کرنے کا بھی کہہ رہے ہیں۔ pic.twitter.com/7ZjK5yDHoV
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also took to Twitter and tweeted, “The latest information is that there are five offshore companies in the name of Junaid Safdar, son of Maryam Nawaz. How much money does this family need?”
علی ڈار جو نواز شریف کے داماد ہیں کے نام آف شور کمپنی کے بعد اب نئ اطلاعات یہ ہیں کہ مریم نوز کے بیٹے جنید صفدر کے نام پر بھی پانچ آف شور کمپنیاں ہیں ، اس خاندان کو کتنا پیسہ چاہئے؟
In response to the news, which was shared by a section of the media quoting state-run PTV, Maryam Nawaz issued a statement saying that if the TV channel that ran the news does not apologise immediately, she will take them to court and file a defamation lawsuit.
Responding to a suggestion by someone to seek legal action in the UK, she said that if the UK desk aired it, the family will sue them there too.
However, Aoun Sahi from PTV — in response to senior journalist Nasim Zehra — refuted the claims of the news of Junaid Safdar being run on the channel and tweeted, “PTV hasn’t run the story. It’s photoshopped ma’am.”
Umar Cheema and Fakhar Durrani, the two journalists from The News who participated in the Pandora Papers investigation from Pakistan, were asked by Geo News about Junaid Safdar’s name in the Pandora Papers. They both said they did not come across Junaid Safdar’s name during their investigation.
“We checked the names of each member of the Sharif family,” Durrani said.
پنڈورہ پیپرز میں جنید صفدر کا نام شامل نہیں لیکن پی ٹی وی کے بقول انکے نام پانچ آف شور کمپنیاں ہیں۔ کیا پی ٹی وی کے پاس پینڈورا کے علاوہ کوئی اور لسٹ ہے؟ اگر نہیں تو سرکاری ٹی وی کو غیر مصدقہ اور فیک خبریں نشر کرنا زیب نہیں دیتا۔ pic.twitter.com/qCq4m8Z1jO
Umar Cheema also tweeted that a Twitter account by the name of ‘PandoraLeaks’ is fake. The account tweeted: “Our research has found out that Junaid Safdar, grandson of former PM Nawaz Shareef has 3 shell and 2 offshore companies in Seychelles and Virgin Islands.”
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which has been investigating international finance and tax havens, has released a detailed list of public figures with offshore companies called the ‘Pandora Papers’ as part of their new investigation.
The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) has advised the pilgrims coming back from Iraq to undergo mandatory quarantine for their own safety.
The statement has come after pilgrims refused to follow the Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) upon their arrival.
Deputy Secretary-General of Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Allama Nasir Abbas, previously warned that if the quarantine restriction of those returning to Pakistan from Karbala was not lifted, then the party would go and welcome them at the airports.
At the airport, pilgrims caused panic that other passengers had to face as well. As a result, the administration was forced to call the police to maintain the law and order situation.
The NCOC mentioned that Iraq was placed in Category C as the spread of coronavirus was rapid there.
“On the occasion of Arbaeen, people from across the world gather in [Karbala], therefore, the pilgrims coming back from there are a high-risk group,” NCOC stated.
