*ISLAMABAD – **Saudi Arabia to launch unprecedented “Road to Makkah”project for Pakistan, private media has reported.*
* A 14-member delegation from Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry is due inIslamabad on Monday to review arrangements related to ‘Road to Makkah’project.*
The project is initiated to assist Hajj pilgrims wherein all immigrationrequirements will be fulfilled at the airport of origin.
At present, the facility is only available at Karachi airport wherepilgrims go through the immigration and customs checking once and then theywould not have to pass through the same process after landing at airportsin Saudi Arabia.
After the agreement, 90 per cent of Pakistani pilgrims, will be able to gothrough customs and immigration processes at the airports of Islamabad,Lahore and Peshawar before departing for Haj, instead of having to wait for10-12 hours after arriving in Saudi Arabia, a spokesperson for the Ministryof Religious Affairs said.
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The high-level Saudi delegation will be briefed at the IslamabadInternational Airport by officials from Customs, Civil Aviation Authority,the Anti-Narcotics Force and the interior and foreign ministries.
They will also review arrangements made at the airports in Lahore andPeshawar.
The project also includes other Muslim countries, like Indonesia andMalaysia.
