Getting your phone ready for ziyarat in Iraq and Arbaeen — staying online in Karbala and Najaf

Why your phone needs preparing for ziyarat in Iraq

In Karbala and Najaf your phone is not just a phone — it is how the qafila reaches you, how you find your way back to the hotel, and how your family knows you are safe. And on ziyarat you need all of that in the shrine courtyards or on the road from Najaf to Karbala, far from hotel Wi-Fi.

This guide is the preparation most zaireen only think about after landing — while the qafila's bus is waiting.

A week before you travel — step by step

All of this is done at home on your own Wi-Fi, with no rush. Nothing is left to do at the airport.

1. Check that your phone supports eSIM. Most iPhones from the XS onwards, Samsung Galaxy S20 and later, and Google Pixels do. Look for "Add eSIM" or "Add mobile plan" in your phone's settings.
2. Buy the Iraq eSIM — the QR code arrives on WhatsApp and by email.
3. Scan the QR and install the eSIM at home. Validity starts only when it first connects to a network in Iraq, so installing early costs you nothing.
4. Label the new line "Iraq" and your Pakistani line "Pakistan", so there is no confusion about which is which when you arrive.
5. Turn off data roaming on your Pakistani line. This is the most important step: otherwise the phone can use your Pakistani SIM's roaming data and you come home to a large bill.
6. Ask your Pakistani operator how SMS roaming works in Iraq for bank OTPs. With data roaming off, SMS usually still arrives.

• How to install an eSIM, step by step

Download these before you leave Pakistan

• Google Maps — download Karbala, Najaf, Kufa and Baghdad (Kazmain) for offline use. You keep your way even when the network crawls.
• WhatsApp — join the qafila's group and save the salar's number. Do not mute the group.
• Google Translate — the offline Arabic pack, for the hotel, shops and taxis.
• Careem — it has operated in Baghdad, Najaf and Basra. The qafila usually handles transport, but it is useful if you go somewhere alone.
• Photos of your passport, visa and hotel booking on the phone, and a copy in the cloud.

Write the salar's number, the hotel's address (in Arabic too) and a number at home on paper, and keep it in your pocket. When the battery dies, that is what saves you.

Iran and Iraq on one trip — which line when

Many qafilas visit Mashhad and Qom first, then Iraq. The Iraq eSIM does not work in Iran — but its validity does not start there either. Here is the simple version:

A phone checklist for the Arbaeen walk

Najaf to Karbala is about 80 km on foot — usually two to three days — along a road marked with 1,452 numbered poles (amood). The largest gathering in the world needs a different kind of preparation:

• A power bank of at least 10,000 mAh and a spare cable. The mawkibs have charging, but the queues are long.
• Agree with your qafila in advance which pole number and what time to meet at if you get separated. It works whether or not the network does.
• The whole Najaf–Karbala area downloaded in Google Maps.
• When the signal is good, send your family your live location so they can follow your walk.
• Keep the phone in Low Power Mode with the brightness down — the days are long.
• A zip-lock bag to keep out dust and sweat.

In a crowd that size the networks are under heavy strain — messages arrive late and calls drop. That is not one company's failing, which is why the preparation above matters as much as data. For Arbaeen the 10 GB plan is the sensible choice.

Iraq switches the internet off on exam days — know before you go

On school exam days the Iraqi government switches off internet access nationwide for a few morning hours to stop cheating. A series of these was recorded between May and July 2025, typically from 6 to 8 am.

Every network is off during those hours — local SIMs and every eSIM alike. The internet returns on its own and no data is lost. If you travel in summer, download the morning's plan and any documents the night before.

• Internet Society Pulse — record of Iraq's exam shutdowns

How much data for ziyarat in Iraq — and what it costs

• 7 days, Karbala and Najaf only: 1 GB will be tight — 3 GB (Rs. 2,190) is comfortable.
• A typical 10 to 14 day ziyarat: 3 GB — what most zaireen choose.
• Daily video calls home: 5 GB (Rs. 3,390).
• Arbaeen, or a hotspot shared with family: 10 GB (Rs. 6,190).

The eSIM runs on Asiacell, which covers Karbala, Najaf, Kufa, Baghdad (Kazmain), Samarra and Kurdistan.

• Iraq eSIM — plans and full details

When you are back in Pakistan

Switch mobile data back to your Pakistani line. Leaving the Iraq eSIM in the phone does no harm — if you go again next year and its validity has run out, a new plan can be topped up onto the same eSIM.

Where should I get a SIM for ziyarat in Iraq?

There are three ways: an Iraqi SIM at Najaf or Baghdad airport (with a passport and registration), a Pakistani roaming package, or an eSIM installed in Pakistan before you leave. With the eSIM your Pakistani number keeps working and there is no airport queue.

Does the Iraq eSIM work in both Karbala and Najaf?

Yes. It runs on Asiacell, which covers Karbala, Najaf, Kufa, Kazmain and Samarra. Inside the shrine courtyards at peak times every network slows down.

How much data do I need for Arbaeen?

10 GB is the better choice for the Arbaeen walk — live location all day, calls and photos home. If it is only WhatsApp and Maps, 5 GB can be enough.

How do I avoid a roaming bill on my Pakistani SIM?

Turn off data roaming on your Pakistani line and keep mobile data on the Iraq eSIM. Calls and SMS still reach your Pakistani number, but no roaming data is used.

Will the Iraq eSIM work in Iran?

No, it is for Iraq only. But its validity starts when it first connects in Iraq, so the days in Iran do not count against it.