RAWALPINDI: A 39-member team of Saudi Arabia’s immigration and security officials arrived in Islamabad on Sunday to carry out immigration of Pakistani Haj pilgrims under the Road to Makkah project.

A senior official of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said that the Saudi officials arrived at the Islamabad International Airport on board a Saudi Airways flight SV-3722 from Jeddah.

During a recent visit of Saudi Crown Prince Moham­mad bin Salman’s to Islamabad, Prime Minister Imran Khan had requested the prince to let Pakistani Haj pilgrims undergo Saudi immigration and customs process in Islamabad before their departure for Saudi Arabia.

In line with that initiative, Haj pilgrims will get their Saudi immigration and customs clearance in Islamabad before their departure for Saudi Arabia from Pakistan at three major airports of the country.

In April this year, an eight-member Saudi delegation visited Islamabad and held talks with Pakistani immigration and Civil Aviation officials about arrangements to provide immigration facilities for Pakistani Haj pilgrims in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2019