KARACHI: Saudi Arabian Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman has given the green light for the immediate establishment of the “Road to Makkah” project facility at Karachi airport.
A two-member delegation from Saudi Arabia, accompanied by Saudi Consul General in Karachi Faleh Al-Rehaili, visited the Jinnah International Airport for this purpose.
The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority stated that the delegation’s visit aimed to inspect the airport’s facilities and discuss arrangements for the Road to Makkah project.
Upon arrival, the delegation received a warm welcome from the aviation authority’s acting airport manager and representatives from other agencies. A comprehensive tour of the airport’s facilities was provided by the airport manager.
The delegation was briefed on the process that Hajj pilgrims would undergo, from the main entrance to the immigration area, and they inspected the facilities in detail.
Meetings were held with various authorities including the Airport Security Force, Federal Investigation Agency, Customs authorities, and PCAA officials to discuss processing requirements and procedures.
Key points of discussion included the entry process for pilgrims, allocation of immigration space, differentiation between government and private scheme pilgrims, and the importance of arriving at least five hours before departure.
Sources indicated that Saudi Arabian immigration facilities for Hajj pilgrims would be finalized at Karachi airport in the coming days. All necessary requisites for pilgrims traveling from Sindh, including Karachi, would be fulfilled at the airport under the Road to Makkah project.
Once cleared at the airport, Hajj pilgrims will bypass immigration processes at Jeddah and Medina airports and be directly transported to their accommodations.
The Road to Makkah project is already operational at Islamabad airport. In May 2023, Saudi Arabia’s then-deputy interior minister visited Pakistan to finalize and ink an agreement related to the project, aiming to simplify and streamline immigration processes for pilgrims.
