ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday expressed gratitude to the Saudi Arabia government for including Pakistan in Road to Makkah project, ARY News reported.
Addressing to media in Islamabad, the foreign minister said the Prime Minister Imran Khan had requested Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman during his visit to Islamabad to include Pakistan in the Road to Makkah project, which would facilitate around 225,000 Hajj pilgrims this year.
FM Qureshi said that special help counters at the Islamabad International Airport had already been set up in this regard.
Under the Road to Makkah project, the custom checking and immigration of Pakistani Hajj pilgrims will be done within the country, saving them from hassle at the Saudi airports.
Read More: PM Imran to inaugurate Road to Makkah project on 5th
The flight operation for Hajj will start from July 4.
It must be noted that Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the Road to Makkah project at Islamabad airport on July 5.
A delegation comprising 51 immigration officials of Saudi Arabia paid a visit to these counters to review the arrangements ahead of the beginning of Hajj flight operation.
It is for the first time that Pakistani pilgrims will get immigration and customs facilities at Pakistani airports before heading for Hajj as they will no longer have to go through the immigration process upon arrival at Saudi airports.
