ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry presented a summary to the the top economic decision-making body, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), on Wednesday to scale up the Makkah Route project designed to ease Hajj journeys of pilgrims arriving in the kingdom from various Muslim countries.
Under the Makkah Route project initiated by Saudi Arabia, all immigration requirements of pilgrims are to be fulfilled at the airport of origin. This saves pilgrims several hours upon reaching the kingdom since they can just enter the country, having gone through immigration already at home. The project also includes other Muslim countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia.
Pakistan implemented a pilot project in 2019 at the Islamabad International Airport. The government now plans to extend the facility to potential pilgrims in Lahore and Karachi, making the two cities part of the expanded initiative.
“One of the pre-conditions for scaling up of Makkah Route Project was grant of special exemption on the import of technical equipments in Pakistan by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the ECC said in a handout after its Wednesday meeting, deciding that the Federal Board of Revenue would hold a separate consultation with the religion ministry to work out the details of the matter before seeking the ECC’s approval on it.
Pakistan planned last year to widen the scope of the Makkah Route initiative, but the Hajj was performed on a limited scale amid rising coronavirus infection globally.
Pakistan’s religion ministry proposes expansion of ‘Makkah Route’ project
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Pakistan’s religion ministry proposes expansion of ‘Makkah Route’ project
- Under the project initiated by Saudi Arabia, all immigration requirements of Hajjis are to be fulfilled at airport of origin
- A pilot project was launched at Islamabad airport last year but Pakistan now proposes to expand the facilities to Lahore and Karachi
Pakistan rejects Amnesty claims of Israeli spyware use, calls reports ‘disinformation’
- FO denies any link with Israel, says Pakistan has “absolutely no cooperation” on surveillance tools
- Islamabad accuses India of delaying clearance for relief aircraft bound for flood-hit Sri Lanka
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday rejected an Amnesty International report alleging the use of Israeli-made invasive spyware in the country, calling the findings speculative and misleading.
Amnesty’s investigation, published Thursday under the title Intellexa Leaks, cited the case of a Pakistan-based human rights lawyer who reported receiving a suspicious WhatsApp link in 2025. According to Amnesty International’s Security Lab, the link bore signatures consistent with Predator, a spyware product developed by Israeli manufacturer c
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi dismissed the suggestion that Islamabad had deployed the tool or maintained any technological cooperation with Israel.
“These are all media speculations. These are all rumor-mongering and disinformation. There is absolutely no cooperation between Pakistan and Israel on anything, let alone a spyware or these kinds of tools. So, I would reject it quite emphatically,” he said at a weekly briefing.
Andrabi also accused India of obstructing humanitarian operations, saying New Delhi delayed flight clearance for a Pakistani relief aircraft carrying aid to flood-affected Sri Lanka.
“The special aircraft carrying Pakistan’s relief goods had to wait for 48 hours, in fact more than 48 hours, around 60 hours, while the flight clearance from India was delayed,” he said.
He added that the eventual conditional flight window was too narrow to be workable.
“The partial flight clearance which eventually was given after 48 hours was operationally impractical, time-bound just for a few hours and hence not operable, severely hindering the urgent need for the relief mission for the brotherly people of Sri Lanka,” Andrabi stated.
“Humanitarian assistance is like justice, if it is delayed, it is denied.”
Responding to India’s claim that clearance was granted within four hours, he said Pakistan has documentary proof contradicting New Delhi’s version.
On a separate question about reported delays in the arrival of a Turkish delegation aimed at mediating between Islamabad and Kabul, Andrabi said Pakistan welcomed Ankara’s initiative but was unaware of the cause of postponement.
“We stand ready to receive the Turkish delegation. That delegation has not arrived as yet. And I’m not aware of any schedule. Pakistan is ready to hold negotiations, discussions,” he said, adding that the delay may be linked to coordination with the Afghan side.
