JEDDAH, 10 May 2005 — The Pakistan government is set to introduce a new measure that would help ease pilgrims’ travel to the holy cities for Haj or Umrah. Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Auqaf Ejazul Haq said here yesterday that pilgrims will now be given boarding passes in advance for their return flights to make their stay in the Kingdom easy.
Also with the return flight booked in advance there should be no problems of overstaying, the minister said while exhorting his countrymen to return home without delay after completing their pilgrimage.
Ejaz said the new measure would be implemented in cooperation with the Umrah and Haj companies, who would have to register themselves with the Pakistani Ministry of Religious Affairs. These firms need to assure the government that proper arrangements will be made for Pakistani pilgrims during Haj or Umrah.
The minister also said that, following discussions with Madinah Governor Prince Muqrin, a new direct flight from a Pakistan city to Madinah is on the cards in order to make travel easy for Pakistani pilgrims who wish to start their Haj or Umrah rites from Madinah.
He said, “After 9/11, Islam has been attacked in many countries as being a religion of terrorists. But this is not so. We, as a country, are seeking to remove the misconceptions about Islam by initiating a program at a global level.”
He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment and support to the global war on terror, while emphasizing that Islam is a religion that teaches peace and moderation.
He also urged the Western societies to address the root causes of terrorism in order to contain it. “(Pakistani) President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has repeatedly told the Western countries to seek a quick and just political solutions to global conflicts that involve Muslims, including Palestine and Kashmir. The president has emphasized time and again that unless the root causes are addressed, terrorism would rear its ugly head,” the minister said.
