KARACHI: Saudi and Pakistani authorities on Sunday formally launched the Makkah Route initiative at the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, the Pakistani religious affairs ministry said, with a second flight under the project leaving the southern Pakistani city for Madinah.
Launched in 2019, the initiative allows for the completion of immigration procedures at the pilgrims’ country of departure. This makes 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. Saudi authorities last month approved the expansion of the Makkah Route initiative to the Karachi airport.
Kamran Tessori, the governor of Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, Saudi Arabia’s Passport & Immigration Chairman Sulaiman Abdul Aziz Al-Yahya, Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki and other officials attended the inaugural ceremony.
“The Road to Makkah Project facility from the Saudi government was located at the Islamabad airport in the past years. Alhamdulillah, it has been started from Karachi this year too and 35,500 pilgrims from Karachi will benefit from this facility this year,” Tessori said, while addressing the ceremony.
“Under this facility, the pilgrims can receive the goods at their respective hotels in Saudi Arabia after all the necessary clearance from the airport in Pakistan.”
The Saudi Passport & Immigration chairman said the Makkah Route initiative was launched to enable pilgrims to complete immigration procedures before arriving in the Kingdom.
“Pakistan is one of the countries benefiting from this initiative and today, we are opening a second airport (Jinnah International Airport in Karachi) under the initiative,” he said.
The initiative, launched in 2019, has so far been implemented in five countries including Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco and Bangladesh.
The South Asian country expects more than 60 percent of pilgrims performing Hajj this year to benefit from the initiative. People opting for the private Hajj scheme can also avail the facility, given the tour operators providing them services have contacted the Pakistani religious ministry for the purpose, according to authorities.
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.
Authorities formally launch Makkah Route initiative at Pakistan’s Karachi airport
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Authorities formally launch Makkah Route initiative at Pakistan’s Karachi airport
- Pakistani pilgrims performing Hajj under government scheme have been availing the facility in Islamabad
- Saudi authorities last month approved expansion of the Makkah Route initiative to the Karachi airport
High-level Libyan delegation meets Pakistan PM, discusses areas for future cooperation
- The meeting comes over a month after Pakistan reportedly struck a $4 billion defense deal to sell military equipment to Libyan National Army
- PM Sharif reaffirms Pakistan’s commitment to fostering friendly ties with Libya, emphasizes the importance of continued engagement and dialogue
ISLAMABAD: A high-level delegation from Libya on Tuesday called on Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad and discussed areas for future cooperation between the two sides, PM Sharif’s office said.
The delegation comprised Dr. Osama Saad Hamad, who governs eastern Libya, Libyan National Army (LNA) Commander-in-Chief Khalifa Abu-al-Qasim Haftar and his deputy, Lt. Gen. Saddam Khalifa Haftar.
During the discussions, both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interest and underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral relations, according to PM Sharif’s office.
“The meeting reflected the shared desire to enhance cooperation in areas of common concern and to promote peace, stability, and development at regional and international levels,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.
The development comes more than a month after reports suggested Pakistan had struck a $4 billion defense deal to sell military equipment, including JF-17 fighter jets and Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, to the LNA that controls eastern Libya.
The reports followed the visit of Pakistani Defense Forces Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to Libya in December. There has been no official confirmation of the deal so far.
Libya has been subject to a UN arms embargo since 2011, requiring approval from the UN for transfers of weapons and related material. It was not clear whether Pakistan or Libya had applied for any exemptions to the UN embargo.
PM Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to fostering friendly relations with Libya and emphasized the importance of continued engagement and dialogue, according to his office. The Libyan leadership appreciated Pakistan’s role and expressed interest in expanding collaboration between the two countries.
“The meeting concluded with an understanding to maintain close contact and explore avenues for future cooperation,” Sharif’s office said.
On Monday, LNA Commander-in-Chief Haftar also met Field Marshal Munir and discussed with him military cooperation and regional security, according to the Pakistani military.
“Both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interest, with particular focus on security dynamics in respective regions and professional cooperation,” the Pakistani military said.
“The discussion underscored the importance of continued engagement and collaboration between the Armed Forces of Pakistan and Libya.”
