KARACHI: A 12-member delegation of Saudi officials visited the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on Tuesday to explore the possibility of extending the Makkah Route Initiative to the country’s southern port city to facilitate local Hajj pilgrims this year.
Launched as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan, the initiative allows for the completion of immigration procedures at the pilgrim’s country of departure, making it possible to bypass long immigration and customs checks upon reaching Saudi Arabia, which significantly reduces the waiting time and makes the entry process smoother and faster.
Pakistani pilgrims performing Hajj under the government scheme have been availing this facility at the airport in Islamabad for the last couple of years. But the government wants the initiative to be extended to other cities as well.
“In order to facilitate the intending pilgrims, the high-level delegation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia comprising 12 VVIPs [very, very important personalities] arrived today at JIAP [Jinnah International Airport], Karachi, at 7.30 a.m. on 5th March, 2024 for extension of route to Makkah project from Karachi,” the Hajj Directorate in Karachi announced in a statement.
The delegation arrived at the airport to survey a site to be allocated by Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) for the Makkah Route Initiative, the Hajj Directorate in Karachi added.
It said that after the joint survey by Saudi and Pakistani officials was conducted, a “high-level meeting” took place at the CAA which was attended by Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki and the Saudi delegation.
From the Pakistani side, the delegation comprised Syed Ata ur Rehman, the secretary of religious affairs and Sajjad Haider Yaldram, joint secretary of Hajj in Pakistan, as well as Karachi Hajj Director Gulzar Soomro. Representatives of Pakistan’s Customs, Airport Security Force, Immigration and Anti-Narcotics Force also attended the meeting.
Pakistani authorities last year said they were hoping for the Saudi authorities to extend the initiative to two additional airports in Karachi and Lahore.
They also informed that Saudi delegations would visit the two cities ahead of the next Hajj season.
Saudi Arabia last year restored Pakistan’s pre-pandemic Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims and abolished the upper age limit of 65 years. More than 81,000 Pakistani pilgrims performed Hajj under the government scheme in 2023, while the rest used private tour operators.
This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14 till June 19.
Saudi delegation evaluates Karachi airport for Makkah Route Initiative’s expansion to ease Hajj journey
https://arab.news/j7e6u
Saudi delegation evaluates Karachi airport for Makkah Route Initiative’s expansion to ease Hajj journey
- The initiative allows aspiring pilgrims to complete the immigration procedures at their country of departure
- Local pilgrims flying out of Islamabad have already been availing this facility for the last couple of years
Pakistan announces partial closure of airspace for commercial flights till Mar. 31
- More than 300 flights scrapped nationwide since US-Israel began strikes on Iran on Saturday
- Civil Aviation Authority advises passengers to stay in touch with airlines for flight updates
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) on Monday announced partial closure of its airspace for commercial flights from March 3 till March 31, amid widescale regional airspace disruptions due to heightened tensions in Middle East.
Regional airspace shutdowns have resulted from US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which began on Saturday, and Tehran’s counterstrikes against Israel and US bases in Gulf countries, affecting key air corridors and forcing airlines to cancel or reroute thousands of flights.
Around 184 international flights between Pakistan and Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Sharjah and other destinations were canceled in past 24 hours due to the geopolitical developments in the Middle East and related airspace closures, Pakistani airport officials said on Monday evening.
The PAA said on Monday night it had decided to partially close the Karachi and Lahore flight routes for commercial flights, without specifying a reason for the move.
“Selected ATS route segments in Karachi and Lahore FIRs unavailable from 03–31 March 2026, daily 0900–1500 PKT due operational reasons,” the authority said in a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM).
An airport official, who requested anonymity, told Arab News that over 100 flights to Pakistan were canceled on Monday alone. Karachi airport recorded 32 cancelations, including flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Sharjah, Kuwait and Bahrain, while Lahore reported 22 cancelations to Gulf destinations, he added.
Other flights were canceled at Peshawar, Faisalabad, Quetta and Multan airports, according to authorities.
Since Saturday, when the conflict began, more than 300 flights between Pakistan and Middle Eastern destinations have been canceled nationwide, according to officials.
However, domestic flight operations have been less affected by the disruptions.
Saifullah Khan, a Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson, advised passengers to stay in touch with their respective airlines for flight updates to avoid inconvenience.
“The most accurate and up-to-date information on flight statuses, including any cancelations or changes, is maintained and communicated directly by the individual airlines as they hold real-time passenger and schedule data,” he told Arab News.
