ISLAMABAD: A delegation of Saudi officials has arrived in Pakistan to review direct immigration arrangements for Hajj pilgrims at the Karachi and Lahore airports, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said on Wednesday.
Pakistan has gears up to expand the Makkah Route Initiative to cities other than Islamabad for this year’s Hajj.
The Makkah Route Initiative is part of Saudi Arabia’s Guests of God Service Program, which King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud inaugurated in 2019 under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 to diversify the economy. Under the scheme, Hajj pilgrims go through immigration facilities at their respective countries’ airports.
Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry said last year it planned to expand the Makkah Route Initiative to airports in cities other than Islamabad as well, notably Karachi.
“An important update in including two additional airports in the Road to Makkah project,” the CAA said in a statement. “Saudi officials have arrived in Pakistan to review direct immigration of Hajj pilgrims at the Karachi and Lahore airports.”
The CAA said that as per the initiative, Pakistani Hajj pilgrims would not have to undergo the required immigration process at Jeddah airport after they have done the same at Lahore and Karachi airports.
It said the Saudi delegation will head to Lahore and Karachi to review the Makkah Route Initiative arrangements at the airports in both cities in the coming days. “Saudi officials will arrive in Karachi on Feb. 26,” the CAA said.
It added that the delegation would meet officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Pakistan Customs, Airport Security Force (ASF), Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) and Immigration departments in Karachi.
Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, will accompany the delegation during their visit to the city, the CAA said.
The Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage that has been in practice for over 1,400 years. It is one of the five pillars of Islam, and requires every adult Muslim to undertake a journey to the holy Islamic sites in Makkah at least once in their lifetime (if they are financially and physically able). This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14 till June 19.
Saudi Arabia last year restored Pakistan’s pre-pandemic Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims and abolished the upper age limit of 65 years. More than 81,000 Pakistani pilgrims performed Hajj under the government scheme in 2023, while the rest used private tour operators.
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