A delegation comprising 12 Saudi officials recently visited Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport to explore the expansion of the ‘Road to Makkah’ initiative to the southern port city.
The initiative aims to facilitate local Hajj pilgrims, and the Saudi authorities will assess the feasibility of implementing the project in Karachi. The Federal Secretary for Religious Affairs and the Director of Hajj (Karachi) extended a warm welcome to the delegation at Karachi Airport.
Last year, Saudi Arabia reinstated Pakistan’s pre-pandemic Hajj quota and removed the upper age limit, allowing 179,210 pilgrims to participate. In 2023, over 81,000 Pakistani pilgrims engaged in the government scheme, with the rest opting for private tour operators.
The upcoming pilgrimage is scheduled to take place from June 14 to June 19.