Issuance of E-visas begins as Hajj preparations enter into final phase

ISLAMABAD: The authorities have started issuance of e-visas to pilgrims registered under government Hajj scheme as preparations have entered into its final phase, ARY News reported on Saturday.

A spokesperson of Ministry of Religious Affairs said that 10 Hajj pilgrims camps have been activated across the country.

“Pilgrims will be provided passports, tickets, [identification] lockets and other related valuables before their flights,” he added.

“The beginning of Road to Makkah project for Hajj 2019 will be made from Islamabad. A 51-member delegation of Saudi immigration department will reach federal capital on Sunday to review arrangements at Islamabad airport.”

Under the pilot project, immigration process of Pakistani pilgrims will be completed at Islamabad airport and luggage of the pilgrims will be shifted to their residences directly from Saudi airport.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had announced on June 27 the schedule of pre-Hajj flight operations for Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport.

According to the schedule, first pre-Hajj flight of a private airline will depart from Karachi on July 5. The flight, PA-1760 would leave for Saudi Arabia with over 180 intending pilgrims on board.

From Karachi, the first PIA Hajj flight, PK-743, will depart at 7:00 pm with 225 passengers on board for Medina on July 5.

Sources said that over 25,081 intending pilgrims would be transported to Saudi Arabia through 95 flights during the Hajj operation from Karachi and added that the operation would continue till August 6.

CAA spokesperson said that every possible facility would be provided to the intending pilgrims and added that FIA’s separate counters would be established at the Jinnah International Airport on to ease the process of immigration.