Islamabad, 17 April 2026(Kamran Raja): An official source from the Ministry of Interior revealed that the Ministry, through the Makkah Route Initiative in Pakistan, aims to transport 30,000 Pakistani pilgrims for Hajj this year. The first flights in Pakistan will depart this Sunday from Karachi, followed by flights to Lahore and Islamabad. The source added that the initiative will provide all necessary facilities to ensure the safe and comfortable transport of pilgrims until their safe return home.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior continues to implement the “Makkah Route” initiative, part of the Guests of God Service Program, one of the Saudi Vision 2030 programs, for the fifth year in seven countries: Morocco, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and, for the first time, Türkiye and Côte d’Ivoire. The “Makkah Route” initiative aims to welcome pilgrims and facilitate their arrival procedures from their home countries with ease and convenience. This includes issuing visas electronically and collecting biometric data, completing passport control procedures at the departure airport after verifying compliance with health requirements, and tagging and sorting luggage according to transportation and accommodation arrangements within the Kingdom. Upon arrival, pilgrims are transported directly to their accommodations in Makkah and Madinah via dedicated bus routes, while service providers handle the delivery of their luggage to their residences.
It is worth noting that the Ministry of Interior is implementing the initiative in cooperation with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health, and Hajj and Umrah, the General Authority of Civil Aviation, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), the Guests of God Service Program, and the General Directorate of Passports.
Media Attaché in Islamabad – Jamal Al-Harbi