Makkah Route Initiative: Saudi delegation reached Pakistan to review

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan (CAA), a delegation of Saudi officials arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday to review the direct immigration arrangements for Hajj pilgrims from Karachi and Lahore airports under the Makkah Route Initiative.

According to Arab News, CAA officials say that the aim of this initiative is to expand the Makkah Route Initiative to Islamabad as well as other cities.

The Makkah Route Initiative is part of Saudi Arabia’s ‘Guests of God Service Programme’, launched by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in 2019 under Vision 2030 to diversify the Kingdom’s economy.

Under this scheme, Hajj pilgrims go through the immigration facility at the airports of their respective countries.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs said last year that it planned to expand the Makkah Route Initiative to airports in other cities besides Islamabad, particularly for major cities like Karachi and Lahore.

According to the CAA statement: ‘Inclusion of two additional airports in the Road to Makkah project is a significant development. Saudi authorities have reached Pakistan to review the direct immigration of pilgrims at Karachi and Lahore airports.

The CAA said that under this initiative, Pakistani pilgrims departing from Lahore and Karachi airports after Islamabad will not have to go through the required immigration process at Jeddah airport.

The statement added that the Saudi delegation will visit Lahore and Karachi in the coming days to review the Makkah Route Initiative arrangements at the airports of the two cities.

CAA said: ‘Saudi officials will arrive in Karachi on February 26.’

The statement added that the delegation will also hold meetings with officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Pakistan Customs, Airport Security Force (ASF), Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) and Immigration Departments in Karachi.

CAA said that Nawaf bin Saeed Al Maliki, the ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, will accompany the Saudi delegation during the visit.

This year, the period of Hajj will be from June 14 to June 19.

Last year, Saudi Arabia restored the Hajj quota for Pakistan before the corona epidemic, under which 179,210 Pakistanis will be able to enjoy the blessing of Hajj.

Moreover, the upper age limit for pilgrims was removed from 65 years. In 2023, over 81,000 Pakistani pilgrims performed Hajj under the government scheme while the rest used private tour operators.