GWADAR/QUETTA: Amid violent protests in various parts of Iran, dozens of Pakistanis studying in different universities and religious education institutions and on pilgrimage to the holy sites in Iran have started returning to Pakistan via Gwadar.

Officials said over a hundred students and pilgrims entered Pakis­tan through Gabad-250 border crossing point, while more were expected to return on Tuesday (today).

A group of Pakistani students reached the border in coaches and crossed into Pakistan from Iran on Sunday evening while pilgrims reached on Monday afternoon.

The officials of the FIA immigration confirmed the return of students and pilgrims from Iran. “Over 100 students and pilgrims have returned to Pakistan from Iran in the last two days,” Balaach Yaqoob, senior FIA official told Dawn over the phone. He said another group of 50 students was expected to reach the Gabad-250 border on Tuesday morning.

“Around 40 Pakistani pilgrims including women and children reached Gabad on Monday afternoon,” the official in charge of the Gabad border post said. He added, “We have also received an 18-member family of Pakistani pilgrims at the immigration office.”

According to them, he said, more pilgrims were on their way to Gabad. He said most of the students and pilgrims, who arrived at the border crossing, later left for their hometowns.

About the 50 other students who were expected to arrive on Tuesday, the official said, “We are waiting for them. They are students of Zanjan University of Medical sciences.”

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2026