RIYADH -Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman sends a good news for peopleof Pakistan after request of PM Imran Khan.
Recent meeting between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Saudi Crown PrinceMohammad Bin Salman brought good news for Pakistani Hajj pilgrims onSaturday as Hajj pilgrims will get their immigration clearance now at theairport before departing for Saudi Arabia.
According to the sources, Hajj pilgrims will have their immigration done atthe airports in Pakistan now for which 14-member Saudi delegations will flyto Pakistan to review the arrangements at four different airports.
Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Noor-ul-Haq Qadri said that Hajjpilgrims will be able to go through customs and immigration processes atthe airports of Pakistan before departing for Hajj. They won’t have to waitat Jeddah airport anymore, he added. He apprised that e-visa system isbeing launched in Pakistan to facilitate the people further.
Government Hajj scheme will sponsor 1.7lac people for Hajj this year. Itwill be based on 60% government and 40% private Hajj. He further added thatgovernment was devising on facilitating Hajj pilgrims with some money aswell.
High level Saudi delegations will fly to Pakistan on April 1. They willalso review plans about making “Road to Mecca” successful. It was anaccomplishment of Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud’s visit toPakistan where PM Imran Khan discussed about the pre-clearance process withhim.
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Under the ‘Road to Makkah’ project – that has been initiated by SaudiArabia to facilitate Muslim pilgrims – all immigration requirements arefulfilled at the airport of origin. The project also includes other Muslimcountries, like Indonesia and Malaysia.
Under the project, 90 per cent of Pakistani pilgrims will go throughcustoms and immigration processes at the airports in Pakistan beforeleaving for Haj, instead of having to wait for 10-12 hours after arrivingin Saudi Arabia, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Religious Affairs said.
The Saudi delegation will be briefed at the Islamabad International Airportby officials from Customs, Civil Aviation Authority, the Anti-NarcoticsForce and the interior and foreign ministries.
The delegation will also review the arrangements made at the airports inKarachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Islamabad, where the immigration counters areexpected to be set up.
