Lahore airport included in Route to Makkah project for Haj
RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has announced that Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport has been included in the Route to Makkah project for Haj 2026, enabling pre-clearance of immigration and customs for pilgrims.
Under the initiative, pilgrims will undergo biometric verification and passport clearance by Saudi officials at Lahore airport before departing for Saudi Arabia.
A PAA spokesperson said that, in this regard, a high-level coordination meeting was held at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore, to review preparations for the commencement of Route to Makkah operations from Lahore for the first time.
The meeting was attended by Mr Fuwaz Saud Al Shafiri, Saudi Director of Haj Operations, along with a secretary from the Saudi Embassy. They met with Airport Manager Erfan Khan and senior representatives of the PAA, Airport Security Force, Customs, Federal Investigation Agency, Anti-Narcotics Force, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other stakeholders.
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2026
