KARACHI: Muhammad Anas Habib has been looking forward to performing Umrah with his family in December, a journey of faith to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. But with Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia disrupting flights and raising security fears, his excitement is increasingly overshadowed by anxiety.

For Habib, a financial market analyst in Karachi, the uncertainty reflects a growing concern among Pakistani pilgrims planning to visit Saudi Arabia, where attacks on civilian facilities and warnings about threats to the holy cities have unsettled travelers and disrupted the business of arranging religious journeys.

Saudi Arabia has accused Yemen’s Houthis of targeting Makkah and Madinah, allegations the group denies. Recent attacks on airports, including in Riyadh, have also led to flight cancelations and delays, adding to uncertainty for pilgrims traveling to the Kingdom.

“When you are with your family, you naturally fear that they might come to harm,” Habib told Arab News on Thursday, though he said the spiritual significance of Umrah remains undiminished despite the risks.

Reports of disrupted flights have, however, left him wondering whether his family will be able to travel as planned, and what might happen if they become stranded abroad.

“This is a concerning point. Currently, we have seen that many flights have been canceled.”

Even a delay could strain the family’s travel budget, with additional hotel stays and changes to bookings adding to the cost of the pilgrimage.

“If travel gets delayed, then prices fluctuate. If prices go up, then your budget starts getting out,” he said.

Pakistan is among Saudi Arabia’s largest sources of Umrah pilgrims, with around 2.5 million Pakistanis performing the pilgrimage in 2024, according to the Kingdom’s official Pilgrim Experience Program.

Pakistan International Airlines suspended flights to Riyadh on October 9 following attacks on Saudi airports, while travel operators have reported disruptions affecting Jeddah-bound passengers as well.

‘A LOT OF PANIC’

For travel agencies arranging Umrah journeys, the uncertainty is already translating into cancelations, rescheduled bookings and mounting financial losses.

“The current situation is very painful and there is a lot of panic as well,” M. Abdul Moin Tabish, chief operating officer at Karachi-based Marfani Travel & Tours, told Arab News.

Tabish said his agency typically arranges travel for between 10,000 and 20,000 pilgrims during this period, but demand had fallen dramatically as customers reconsidered their plans.

“If I talk about the current situation, the ratio is 25-30 percent. That is 70 percent down. This is very impactful.”

The financial consequences extend beyond airline tickets. Hotels, transportation services and group bookings often have to be arranged well in advance, leaving agencies exposed when customers cancel or flights are disrupted.

Tabish said one group had recently canceled its pilgrimage, forcing his company to rearrange reservations and absorb additional costs.

“We had to bear a lot of losses. We had to reschedule hotel bookings. We had to reschedule transportation.”

Asad Ali, deputy head of research at Karachi-based Topline Securities Ltd, said a prolonged disruption could squeeze operators’ cash flows as travelers sought refunds for prepaid services.

“We can see a pressure on the Umrah operators because people will go for the refund.”

“If this trend continues, we can see a larger impact in terms of their profitability,” he warned.

For Habib, however, the industry’s financial losses are distant concerns compared with the prospect of taking his family into a region facing heightened security threats.

The pilgrimage remains something he hopes to undertake in December. What has changed is the uncertainty surrounding a journey that was supposed to bring spiritual peace.

“Who will not be concerned about life safety? Who would want to lose our loved ones,” he said.

“We hope to go there and come back safe.”