Saudi Hajj minister visits
ISLAMABAD: Following the arrival of the high-ranking Saudi delegation in Islamabad on Sunday, an official said Pakistani religious affairs authorities will talk about increasing the country’s quota for the Hajj pilgrimage during the Saudi Hajj Minister Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah’s four-day visit to the South Asian nation.
Al-Rabiah is leading a sizable delegation that includes the deputy ministers of Hajj and Umrah, tourism, and international cooperation, as well as the presidents of Saudi airlines, the general authority of civil aviation, and representatives from the Saudi Aviation. Al-Rabiah also serves as the chairman of the administrative board of the Two Holy Mosques.
The distinguished visitors were greeted on Sunday by Aneeq Ahmed, the caretaker minister for religious affairs of Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, the ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood, and other dignitaries.
The Saudi Hajj minister’s visit, according to Muhammad Umer Butt, a spokesman for the Pakistani Ministry of Religious Affairs, was of enormous significance for Pakistan. He also noted that the Saudi government had granted the Saudi Hajj minister the status of a state visitor.
The expansion of the Route to Makkah initiative to additional Pakistani cities, as well as a number of other issues relating to facilities for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, would be considered, he told Arab News.
If they (the Saudi delegation) agree, our Hajj quota will be the highest in the world based on the results of the new census. We will also discuss increasing the Hajj quota in accordance with Pakistan’s population under the new census.
The Makkah Route program, launched by Saudi Arabia in 2019, streamlined the Hajj visa, customs, and health processes at the airports of Pakistan and four other nations, saving travelers a significant amount of time when they arrive in the Kingdom. This year, the project from Islamabad airport helped almost 26,000 Pakistani pilgrims.
During the visit to improve upcoming Hajj arrangements, according to a statement made on Saturday by the Pakistani Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Hajj
The visiting Saudi minister will meet with Pakistan’s president, prime minister, and top of army staff in addition to delegation-level discussions with the interim minister of religious affairs, according to the Pakistani religious affairs ministry.
The team will meet leaders and businesspeople in Karachi, Pakistan’s commercial center, during its four-day tour. Karachi is a port city in the country’s south.
