‘Road to Makkah’ project: Saudi delegation holds meeting with Shehzad Arbab

ISLAMABAD: A Saudi delegation led by Director General of Passports Maj. Gen. Sulaiman Al Yahya called on Advisor to Prime Minister on Establishment and Coordinator for Hajj Operation Mohammad Shehzad Arbab at the PM office on Tuesday.

Arrangements to ensure pre-departure immigration of Hajj pilgrims at Pakistani airports before flying to Saudi Arabia were reviewed during the meeting.

The delegation members include Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, the undersecretary of the Hajj Ministry for Hajj Affairs, Dr Hussein Al-Sharif, Mohammed Alghamdi, Musaad Aldayel, Khalid Alotabi, Al Braa while Mushtaq Ahmed and secretary religious affairs were also present in the meeting.

Welcoming the delegation to Pakistan, Shehzad Arbab said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy close and brotherly ties deep-rooted in common faith, religion and commonality of views on all issues of mutual interest.

He added that the government is keen to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation in all fields to the mutual benefit of the people of the two countries.

The advisor thanked the Saudi government for the generous support to the government and people of Pakistan in every hour of need and testing times.

He said that government and people of Pakistan highly revere Khadim Al-Harmain Al-Sharifain King Salman bin Abdulaziz and hold him in the highest regard.

The advisor urged for making all out arrangements to make the ‘Road to Makkah’ project successful.

He emphasised on all relevant authorities and organization to make coordinated steps to fulfil all the requirements as per satisfaction of the Saudi authorities.

Arbab thanked the Saudi authorities for extending the ‘Road to Makkah’ project to Pakistan and termed it a great facility for the Pakistani pilgrims.

Pakistani pilgrims will now have immigration clearance done in Pakistani airports and they will not have to pass through immigration and custom checking after landing at airports in Saudi Arabia, the advisor said.

He requested the Saudi authorities for considering more than one airport for pre-departure immigration facility.

Maj. Gen. Sulaiman Al Yahya said that the decision of extending the facility to Pakistan manifests the warm and fraternal relations between the two brotherly countries.

Saudi Arabia’s Director General of Passports Maj. Gen. Sulaiman Al Yahya said that ‘Road to Makkah’ facility is a gift to the people of Pakistan from King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The delegation assured all-out support to Pakistan regarding the project.

Earlier in the day, A high-level delegation from Saudi Arabia on Monday arrived in Islamabad to review Road to ‘Road to Makkah’ project.

The Saudi Arabia’s delegation called on Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony Noorul Haq Qadri and conveyed a message of goodwill of Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud.

It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister Imran Khan had asked Saudi Arabia to include Pakistan into the ‘Road to Makkah’ project.