Islamabad:
On Sunday, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interconfessional Harmony announced that a Saudi delegation of 45 members had arrived in Pakistan to assess the provisions of the project `Road to Makkah ” in order to facilitate Pakistani pilgrims during the next Hajj season.
According to ministry spokesperson Muhammad Umar Butt, ministry officials warmly received the delegation at Islamabad International Airport (IIA).
As part of the “ Road to Makkah ‘initiative, a total of 50,500 Pakistani pilgrims will go to Saudi Arabia via designated flights, he said, adding that around 28,000 pilgrims will leave the IIA, while 22,500 will fly from Jinnah’s international airport. He also informed that 100 flights will operate from Islamabad and 80 from Karachi as part of the project.
Umar Butt said that the immigration counters dedicated to pilgrims will be established in Islamabad and Karachi airports. Significantly, within the framework of the “Road to Makkah” project, the immigration procedures for pilgrims will be completed in Pakistan, eliminating the need for authorization on arrival in Saudi Arabia, he argued.
Umar Butt said the ministry had published important guidelines for pilgrims. He said he was compulsory for all pilgrims to receive essential vaccinations before departure. It is advisable for pilgrims to visit the nearest haji camp to receive free vaccinations against meningitis, flu and polio, he said, adding that after vaccination, obtaining the yellow vaccination card is compulsory, because the entry into Saudi Arabia without a valid vaccination certificate is not authorized.
Umar Butt said pilgrims above the age of 65 must transport their original COVVI-19 vaccination card of 19 because in the absence of the card, senior pilgrims are invited to be vaccinated in the nearest Haji camp and to obtain a new certificate.
Umar Butt said the ministry also issued a strong warning against the fraudulent permits of the Hajj. “Pilgrims should only travel with valid and approved permits to HAJJ,” said the ministry spokesman, adding that the ministry had warned that fraudulent companies and unauthorized advertisements could mislead pilgrims with false permits, which has serious consequences.
