March 23 is an unforgettable day of our national history. The Muslims of South Asia were striving for an identity since long but they did not have any destination before them. It was this day, which converged our vision, not only for a destination but we were also able to achieve that goal, Pakistan.
Allama Iqbal’s address in Allahabad, though, had given us a vision, but national consensus was reached on March 23, 1940. This day reminds us the fact that a nation with an unwavering commitment and a devoted and sincere leadership, can achieve apparently unattainable goals.
The creation of Pakistan was not only an assurance of stability in South Asia, but it also emerged as a ray of hope for those people of the region, who were deprived of equal opportunities in united India and attempts were made to wipe out their cultural identity.
The Pakistan Resolution, passed on March 23, 1940, had envisioned a state that would provide equal opportunities to its citizens without any discrimination.
Today, thanks to Almighty Allah, the people of Pakistan have once again regained their lost aspirations. During the past three years, the government, the army and other security forces and the people of Pakistan have been making joint efforts to make Pakistan a cradle of peace. The government is making all-out efforts to achieve economic prosperity. By the grace of Almighty Allah, today Pakistan is a democratic country with an independent judiciary and a free media.
The underprivileged areas of the country have been prioritized for development. Work has commenced on mega economic projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which has increased the pace of development in Balochistan. God willing, Balochistan will soon emerge as a developed region of the country.
As a nation, it is our responsibility to form a society where discrimination on the basis of color, race, religion or sects is unacceptable. We have to make Pakistan a country where all the citizens enjoy equal rights. On this day, we have to renew our pledge to make Pakistan a modern and developed Muslim country in line with the Quaid-e-Azam’s vision.
May Almighty Allah protect Pakistan and make it a prosperous and developed state. (Ameen)
Pakistan now on the road to progress
Pakistan now on the road to progress
Hajj Ministry suspends 1,800 foreign Umrah travel agency contracts
- Operators given 10 days to meet standards after performance review highlights service shortcomings, non-compliance
- Umrah performers holding valid visas or existing reservations will not be affected
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced the suspension of contracts with 1,800 foreign travel agencies operating in the Umrah sector, out of approximately 5,800, giving them 10 days to rectify their status.
The decision follows the results of a periodic evaluation that revealed performance shortcomings and poor service quality among these agencies, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
The ministry stated that the suspension applies only to the issuance of new visas and is part of a regulatory approach to help agencies address classification issues and improve compliance with approved standards.
Contracts will be reactivated once the requirements are met within the grace period, according to the ministry.
The ministry confirmed that Umrah performers holding valid visas or existing reservations will not be affected, as services to them will continue unchanged.
It added that applying the approved classification and performance indicators is a fundamental regulatory measure to raise compliance among service providers and ensure services meet approved standards.
The ministry emphasized that protecting the rights of Umrah performers and ensuring service continuity are priorities in all regulatory measures.
Ghassan Alnwaimi, the ministry’s spokesperson, said regulatory action will be taken against any agency that fails to correct deficiencies by the deadline.
He added that the ministry will continue using monitoring and evaluation tools to strengthen the reliability of the Umrah sector and safeguard pilgrims’ rights.
