KARACHI:Karachi’s Jinnah Terminal Airport has been included in the Road to Makkah project. Now all immigration processes for Hajj pilgrims from Pakistan will take place in Karachi.
Under the Road to Makkah project, pilgrims will be offered improved facilities. Instead of immigration in Saudi Arabia, pilgrims departing for Hajj will go through immigration at Karachi airport.
The Saudi Aviation Authority will assign staff for pilgrim immigration. Subsequently, pilgrims will not need immigration at Jeddah and Madinah airports.
According to sources in the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), preparations at Karachi Airport for the Road to Makkah project are in the final stages. The CAA has allocated space for two counters for Saudi immigration officials.
Karachi Director Hajj Gulzar Soomro stated that the first flight under the Road to Makkah project will depart from Karachi to Madinah on May 9.
Under the government scheme, 16,281 pilgrims from Karachi, 1,000 from Sukkur, and 2,200 from Quetta will depart from Jinnah Terminal to Madinah under the Road to Makkah project.
The government will cover the expenses of plastic wrapping for the luggage of pilgrims departing from Karachi. It should be noted that training sessions for intending Hajj pilgrims are commencing in Karachi starting today.
