Saudi delegation in Pakistan to inspect immigration arrangements for pilgrims

ISLAMABAD: A Saudi delegation of immigration and passport officials arrived in Pakistan on a three-day visit on Monday to evaluate immigration facilities, a spokesman for the Ministry of Religious Affairs told Arab News.
The Saudi team is lead by director general immigrations Major General Sulaiman Al-Yahya and will survey airports in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar to inspect arrangement for those travelling to perform Hajj, the yearly pilgrimage of observant Muslims to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
On the first day of the visit, the Saudi officials met with Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Affairs, Pir Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, in Islamabad and discussed preparations to include Pakistan in the “Road to Makkah Project.”
During his visit to Pakistan in February, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman formally granted permission to include Pakistan in the Project aimed at facilitating Hajj pilgrims from across the Muslim world. The crown prince also announced that all pilgrims traveling from Pakistan could now clear immigration at local airports in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar.
“On Tuesday, the Saudi delegation will hold meetings with relevant Pakistani departments, which includes officials of civil aviation and the ministries of interior, foreign and religious affairs,” Imran Siddique, a spokesman for the Ministry of Religious Affairs, told Arab News. “We will demonstrate the arrangements on our side to the visiting delegation.”
This year Saudi Arabia has also agreed in principle to provide e-Visas to Pakistanis performing Hajj. Nearly 107,526 Pakistanis will perform Hajj on the government’s quota while more than 76,000 will use services offered by private tour and Hajj operators.
Hajj flights from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia will begin in the first week of July.

Saudi delegation in Pakistan to inspect immigration arrangements for pilgrims