Pakistan starts direct flights to Jeddah for Hajj pilgrims

WEB DESK: Pakistan has taken a pivotal step towards facilitating its pilgrims for the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage by commencing direct flight operations to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia under the ‘Road to Makkah’ initiative.

This initiative aims to streamline the journey for Pakistani pilgrims, ensuring a smoother and more efficient process from their departure to their arrival in the holy city of Makkah.

The inaugural flights, originating from Karachi and Islamabad, touched down in Jeddah today, transporting a total of 720 Pakistani pilgrims.

Upon arrival, the pilgrims were warmly welcomed by officials representing both the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony and the Saudi government at Jeddah airport. This gesture underscores the strong bilateral ties and mutual cooperation between the two nations in facilitating religious pilgrimages.

An initiative titled the ‘Road to Makkah’ played a crucial role in streamlining the pilgrims’ arrival process, allowing them to bypass lengthy queues at immigration counters.

Additionally, the pilgrims were seamlessly transported to their designated accommodations via comfortable buses, with their luggage efficiently transferred by a dedicated porters company.

The numbers speak to the magnitude of the pilgrimage endeavor, with 34,316 Pakistani pilgrims already reaching Medinah, while an additional 114 flights are scheduled to carry another 34,422 pilgrims to Jeddah by June 9, 2024.

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