ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's religion minister Senator Talha Mahmood and Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said-Al Malki on Thursday launched the Makkah Route Initiative at the Islamabad International Airport, paving the way for convenient immigration facilities for over 26,000 Pakistani pilgrims this year.

The development takes place a day after Saudi deputy interior minister, Dr. Nasser bin Abdul Aziz Al-Dawood, signed the Makkah Route Initiative memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Pakistan's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah in Islamabad. The Saudi minister was in the Pakistani capital for a two-day visit during which he also met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.  

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 under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 to diversify the economy. Under the scheme, Hajj pilgrims go through immigration facilities at their respective countries’ airports.

“This small territory of Islamabad airport has been declared Saudi territory for the Route to Makkah project,” Mahmood told reporters after inaugurating the project.

Last year, 16,000 Pakistani pilgrims availed the Makkah Route Initiative. This year, however, over 26,000 Pakistani pilgrims will make use of the facility. 

“Under the program, the immigration of pilgrims will be done here, and pilgrims then fly to Saudi Arabia where they would not need to go through the immigration process and would straight go to their residences,” he said. 

Mahmood added that the Saudis had established a state-of-the-art setup at Islamabad airport that would reduce waiting time for pilgrims during their immigration process. 

“This year, the Saudi staff that arrived in Pakistan for the project included both men and women. So, the female staff will deal with women pilgrims,” he added.

Mahmood said the Saudi deputy interior minister promised to extend the Makkah Route Initiative to at least two to three more Pakistani cities along with Islamabad, next year.

“Those included Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar airports as they [Saudis] need time as a lot of preparation, including equipment and staff, is required for each airport,” he added.

He said the government allowed a quota of around 90,000 to the private sector while over 80,000 were performing the spiritual pilgrimage through the government's scheme.

Mahmood appreciated the Saudi embassy in Islamabad for facilitating preparations for the pilgrimage and assured the government was striving to bring down the cost of Hajj to below Rs1 million ($3,500).

“We tried our best to reduce Hajj expenses as last year's pilgrimage cost over $5,000 which was reduced to below $4,000 this year,” he explained. “But due to the depreciation of the rupee's value, it looks like more than last year when converted to rupees”.

Mahmood said the ministry would return $720 to pilgrims who wanted to arrange sacrificial animals by themselves. 

“I am also trying to return some of the saved cash from the estimated amount, which will be returned to pilgrims after the Hajj,” he added.

Mahmood said the first Hajj flight would depart from Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi at 4:50 pm on May 21 and will land in Madinah.

Speaking on the occasion, the Saudi ambassador said the kingdom would do its best to provide the best facilities to Pakistani pilgrims for Hajj at other airports from next year.

“Next year this initiative will be expanded to Lahore and Karachi,” he said, adding that the Makkah Route Initiative was ordered by King Salman bin Abdulaziz and followed up by Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman.

He said all preparations had been finalized as all the equipment and offices were ready to start functioning at the Islamabad airport.

“The first flight under the initiative will start on May 21 and our target is to facilitate between 26,000 to 30,000 pilgrims this year,” he added.