KARACHI: Ambassa­dor of Saudi Arabia Nawaf Saeed Al Maliky and other senior officials from the kingdom have visited Karachi airport to evaluate potential areas within the premises where Saudi immigration facilities could be established to assist Haj pilgrims in connection with the ‘Road to Makkah’ project.

Under the project, intending pilgrims would be provided with immigration facilities at Karachi airport by Saudi authorities and they would be exempted from the process at Saudi airports.

The Road to Makkah project has already been successfully implemented at Islamabad Airport.

A spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority said that the delegation met with CAA Deputy Director General Sadiqur Rehman and key representatives of the Federal Investigation Agency, Airport Security Force, Anti-Narcotics Force, Customs, and immigration.

“Once the final location for the lounge, hall, or terminal at Jinnah International Airport is determined, Saudi officials will proceed with the installation of the necessary counters and equipment,” he added.

Saudi envoy meets CM

On Wednesday, the Saudi ambassador called on Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and discussed with him the Road to Makkah project.

The chief minister said that the project was very important and he was keen to see it implemented for the pilgrims of Sindh at Karachi airport.

The Saudi envoy informed the CM that the pilot Road to Makkah initiative was implemented in 2019 at Islamabad Airport. More than 50,000 pilgrims had been benefitted from this initiative since 2019, he added.

After successful completion, the Prime Minister’s Office directed for up-scaling of the said initiative to Karachi, Lahore, Quetta and Peshawar airports.

The CM was told that almost all the formalities had been completed to start the project.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2024