ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will formally inaugurate the Road to Makkah project at Islamabad International airport today, Radio Pakistan reported.
Under the Road to Makkah project initiated by Saudi Arabia, all immigration requirements are fulfilled at the airport of origin. The project also includes other Muslim countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia.
According to an earlier statement from a spokesman of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, 90 percent of Pakistani pilgrims will go through customs and immigration processes at the airports in Pakistan before leaving for Haj, instead of having to wait for 10-12 hours after arriving in Saudi Arabia.
“This project is a gift from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan and about 20,000 Haj pilgrims will benefit from the initiative,” the spokesman had said.
“This is the initial stage of the project. The service will be provided to pilgrims traveling from Karachi and Lahore airports as well from next year if the project succeeds.
