ISLAMABAD: Preparations to make Saudi Arabia’s ‘Road to Makkah’ project a success are underway and in its final stages at major airports, officials at Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs told Arab News on Wednesday.
“Hajj flights from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia will be operational from July 4,” Imran Siddique, MRA spokesman said, adding that the officials are in talks with the Saudi government “through the foreign office to finalize all matters.”
He added that the MRA is doing everything in its capacity to facilitate Hajj pilgrims from Pakistan.
On Monday, Pakistan’s Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan had said that the government was intent on making the project – which
is aimed at facilitating Hajj pilgrims from across the Muslim world – a success.
During Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s visit to Pakistan in February this year, Prime Minister Imran Khan had requested Saudi Arabia to include Pakistan in the project, following which Saudi authorities had said that all pilgrims traveling from Pakistan would be able to clear immigration at local airports in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar.
“The aviation division has inculcated five major airports in the country to store Zamzam water for Hajj pilgrims this year,” Khan said, adding that the initiative was “as per the instructions of the Ministry of Religious Affairs to the Islamabad International Airport.”
Khan added that ample space had been allocated at several airports for the storage of Zamzam holy water which would be brought from Saudi Arabia and distributed among pilgrims on their return from Hajj this year.
“These airports include Islamabad, Quetta, Faislabad, Sukkar and Rahim Yar Khan,” he said.
In April this year, a Saudi delegation comprising officials from the Kingdom’s immigration and passport departments visited Pakistan to evaluate facilities for pilgrims at the major airports.
As part of the Road to Makkah initiative, the Hajj quota for Pakistani pilgrims has been increased from 184,210 to 200,000 this year. This year Saudi Arabia has also agreed, in principle, to provide e-visas to Pakistanis performing Hajj.
Pakistan to start Hajj flights from July 4 – official spokesman
Pakistan to start Hajj flights from July 4 – official spokesman
- Ministry of Religious Affairs says measures in place to make project a success
- Move part of Saudi’s ambitious initiative to facilitate pilgrims from all over the world
Pakistan military says 12 militants killed after coordinated attacks in Balochistan
- ISPR says militants targeted a police station and two banks, taking away $12,000
- Balochistan CM says one civilian was injured, warns militants of tougher response
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military said on Friday security forces killed 12 militants during a clearance operation in the southwestern Balochistan district of Kharan after coordinated attacks on a police station and two banks a day earlier.
In a statement, the military’s media wing said 15 to 20 militants carried out multiple attacks in Kharan city on Thursday, targeting the City Police Station as well as branches of the National Bank of Pakistan and Habib Bank Limited, looting Rs3.4 million ($12,000).
“Security Forces effectively responded and engaged the terrorists, prompting them to retreat,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. “During the ensuing clearance operation, twelve terrorists were sent to hell in three different engagements.”
The ISPR said the militants had attempted to create a hostage situation at the police station, which was thwarted, adding that “sanitization operations” were continuing in surrounding areas.
Earlier, Chief Minister Balochistan Sarfaraz Bugti said the attackers entered the area for a brief period of five to ten minutes and fled after the attacks, adding that one civilian, identified as Abdul Hakeem, was shot in the neck and evacuated to a military hospital for treatment.
“They came for five to ten minutes, tried to break into banks and ATMs and took around Rs3.4 million from the National Bank,” Bugti told a news conference, warning that future attacks would be met with force.
The military described the militants as members of “Fitna Al Hindustan,” a term Pakistan uses for Baloch separatist groups it accuses of operating with Indian backing, an allegation New Delhi denies.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated province, has long been plagued by separatist violence, with attacks frequently targeting security forces, infrastructure and civilians.
