Road to Makkah

Initially, service will be available at Islamabad Airport but will be later extended to Lahore and Karachi airports

Earlier this week, the Pakistani government and Saudi officials signed an agreement to initiate the ‘Road to Makkah’ project aimed at simplifying the immigration process for Pakistanis travelling to Saudi Arabia to perform Haj and Umrah. Historically, Pakistanis have visited Saudi Arabia in large swathes to perform the pilgrimage. The new agreement will further ease the process as intending pilgrims will be provided with immigration facilities in Pakistan and would be exempted from the process at Saudi airports.

The agreement is part of Saudi Arabia’s Guests of God Service Programme, which King Mohammad Bin Salman inaugurated in 2019 under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 to diversify the economy. Initially, the service will be available at Islamabad Airport but will be later extended to Lahore and Karachi airports. Government officials have claimed that they are working to extend the service to more cities. This agreement is a monumental step as pilgrims will avoid waiting in long queues as well as the issue of the language barrier at the Saudi airport. In keeping with the agreement, perhaps the Pakistani government can introduce a shuttle service for residents living in cities nearby Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi so that they can also avail of the service when travelling for pilgrimage.

Pakistani and Saudi government officials also discussed the issuance of Pakistani passports to Burmese Muslims residing in Saudi Arabia on Pakistani passports. This can reduce difficulties for Burmese Muslims living in the Kingdom. Pakistan has long enjoyed bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia. Such agreements are a further testimony to the strong ties between the two countries and can pave the way for increased cultural and economic exchanges in the future.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2023.

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