KSA agrees to include Lahore in ‘Route to Makkah’ project

ISLAMABAD, Apr 7 (APP): The Saudi government has formally agreed to include Lahore in its landmark ‘Route to Makkah’ initiative, providing a dual immigration facility to Hajj pilgrims prior to their departure.

The project is scheduled for an official inauguration at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in the coming days, ending a long-standing wait for pilgrims from Punjab.

According to sources in the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Federal Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf had been persistently striving for Lahore’s inclusion in this high-priority project.

The Minister raised the matter effectively with Saudi authorities during his recent visit to the Kingdom.

As a result of these diplomatic efforts, pilgrims from Lahore will now enjoy the same world-class facilities previously limited to Islamabad and Karachi.

This year, a total of 29,924 pilgrims are set to depart from Lahore for Makkah and Madinah via 104 dedicated flights.

This marks the first time that thousands of pilgrims from Lahore and its surrounding areas will undergo Saudi immigration and customs clearance at their home airport.

This pre-departure clearance will allow them to bypass lengthy immigration queues and waiting periods upon arrival at Jeddah or Madinah airports.

Under the ‘Route to Makkah’ project, all immigration and customs formalities for Saudi Arabia are completed at the Pakistani airport of departure.

Upon landing in the Kingdom, pilgrims are processed quickly and can proceed directly to their accommodations.

The inclusion of Lahore fulfills a long-standing demand from the citizens of Punjab, who sought parity with facilities provided in Islamabad and Karachi.

With the personal interest of the Federal Minister and the cooperation of the Saudi government, this facility is expected to bring unprecedented ease to the sacred journey of Hajj. Preparations at the Lahore airport are currently being finalized to ensure a seamless start to the pre-departure immigration process.