More than 1000 Pakistani pilgrims benefiting from ‘Road to Makkah’ program every day

In this September 23, 2015 file photo, a Muslim pilgrim prays on Mount Mercy on the plains of Arafat during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, outside the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)

• Pilgrims praise Saudi officials for giving personal attention, running a smooth immigration process in Islamabad
• Nearly 40,000 Hajj pilgrims from Pakistan reached Saudi Arabia by Monday

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Hajj pilgrims widely appreciated the Kingdom’s ‘Road to Makkah’ project, with several lauding the pre-departure and immigration facilities made available at the Islamabad airport, as the country flies five to six Hajj flights to Saudi Arabia every day, officials told Arab News.
According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MRA), a total of 39,853 Hajj pilgrims from across the country reached Saudi Arabia by Monday.
“More than thousand Hajj pilgrims are getting their pre-departure immigration clearance daily at Islamabad airport under Road to Makkah project,” said Imran Siddique, spokesperson for the MRA.
“The most beautiful part of my journey to Saudi Arabia is that all officials [at the Islamabad airport] provided us great help under the Road to Makkah project,” Brig. (r) Nasir Zia, one of the pilgrims who reached Madinah last week, said in a video message.
“The Saudi officials also gave us personal attention [at the Islamabad airport], immigration process was smooth and we reached here [in Madinah] without any hassle,” he said.
Pakistan began Hajj flights for its 200,000 nationals on July 4.
Under the Road to Makkah project – an initiative aimed at facilitating Hajj pilgrims from across the Muslim world – around 22,000 Pakistani pilgrims can avail the pre-departure immigration clearance at the Islamabad airport.
Saudi immigration team is working round the clock at the Islamabad airport to facilitate Hajj pilgrims. “We are getting positive feedback from our pilgrims [about the Road to Makkah initiative],” said Siddique, adding that he hoped “this facility will also be extended to other airports of Pakistan in coming years.”
Providing details of other facilities available under the project, he said that a make-shift hospital and two field units have been set up in Madinah – as part of the Pakistan Hajj Medical Mission – wherein 19 doctors and 34 paramedical staff have been deputed to provide timely medical facilities to the pilgrims.
Siddique added that a total of 13 catering companies have been providing quality food to all the pilgrims at their residences while 115 government officials are deployed to help in case of any emergency.
A team of Saudi officials had earlier set up special immigration counters at the Islamabad airport to help pilgrims save on 10 to 12 hours of waiting time at Saudi airports. Pakistan was included in the project after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman concluded his visit to the country in February this year.
Lauding the quality of food and accommodation provided by the Kingdom, Muhammad Akmal Khan who reached Madinah on July 5 for the pilgrimage said in a video message: “We are staying here in a five-star hotel … being kept like princes and kings. We are feeling like home here.”
“We have no complaints. The staff is very cooperative here,” Shaukat Ali, another pilgrim said.
All pre-Hajj flight operations in Pakistan will conclude on August 5, while post-Hajj flights will operate from August 17 to September 14 this year.