ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia’s deputy interior minister, Dr. Nasser bin Abdul Aziz Al-Dawood, on Tuesday arrived in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad for the signing of the Route to Makkah project agreement, the Pakistani interior ministry said.
The Makkah Route initiative is part of Saudi Arabia’s Guests of God Service Program, which King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud inaugurated in 2019 as part of the Saudi Vision 2030. As per the initiative, Hajj pilgrims are issued visas, and provided other services, such as baggage facilities, at their respective countries’ airports.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah welcomed the Saudi deputy interior minister upon arrival at the Noor Khan air base on a two-day visit to the South Asian country.
“During his visit, the Saudi deputy interior minister will sign the agreement of Route to Makkah project,” the Pakistani interior minister said in a statement.
Hajj is a spiritual journey that every Muslim adult must undertake once in his lifetime to the holy sites in Makkah and Madinah, if they are financially and physically able to do so. It is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith.
Last year, Pakistani pilgrims traveled through the Makkah Route initiative for the second consecutive year. The agreement of the program, which also includes Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco, and Bangladesh, is renewed every year.
“The Saudi deputy interior minister will also meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, federal minister for narcotics control and the army chief,” the interior ministry added.
This year, Saudi Arabia has reinstated Pakistan’s pre-pandemic Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims and scrapped the upper age limit of 65. Around 80,000 Pakistani pilgrims are expected to perform Hajj this year under the government scheme, while the rest will be facilitated by private tour operators, according to the authorities.
Hajj flights from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia will start on May 21 and the last flight carrying pilgrims would leave on June 21, according to the Pakistani religious affairs ministry.
