Najaf: The Strategic Center for Human Rights has condemned the continued poor electricity supply in the governorates of Najaf, Karbala, and Babylon during the Arba’een pilgrimage, labeling it an unacceptable service failure and a violation of the right of millions of pilgrims to access basic services.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Center expressed deep concern over the ongoing power shortages in these governorates, which are currently experiencing an influx of millions of visitors for the pilgrimage. This period sees a heightened demand for electricity to support essential services and processions. The Center highlighted that the frequent power outages and limited supply hours are inconsistent with the scale of the religious occasion and the state’s constitutional obligation to provide public services.

The Center noted that the scheduled power cuts in these regions are burdening the Husseini processions and volunteers, affecting their ability to deliver crucial services. These disruptions hinder the operation of cooling systems, food storage, water pumps, lighting, and medical services, directly impacting the pilgrims’ experience.

Emphasizing the need for an exceptional solution, the Center stated that electricity management during the pilgrimage should prioritize public interest and national duty over routine scheduling. The success of the pilgrimage, it stressed, depends not only on security but also on the efficiency of essential services, particularly electricity.

The Center urged the federal government and the Ministry of Electricity to implement urgent measures to exempt the affected governorates from scheduled outages and to allocate emergency power lines to stabilize the grid along pilgrimage routes. It called for enhanced electricity supply to support Husseini processions and ensure the continuous provision of services to pilgrims. Additionally, it demanded immediate responses to outages and transparency in the ministry’s plans and procedures for the pilgrimage season, holding them accountable for any service shortcomings.

The Center appealed to all relevant authorities to prioritize electricity supply as a national and humanitarian issue during the pilgrimage season, taking exceptional measures to uphold pilgrims’ dignity and enable the Husseini processions to fulfill their service and humanitarian mission.