ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabian authorities have assured Pakistan to make utmost effort to extend the ‘Road to Makkah’ facility to other cities apart from Islamabad for next year’s Hajj.

Spokesperson of Ministry of Religious Affairs Imran Siddiqui pointed out that the pilot project of ‘Road to Makkah’ in Islamabad remained very successful, Radio Pakistan reported. 

He said the Saudi Arabian minister for Hajj during his talks with Minister for Religious Affairs Noor-ul-Haq Qadri on Dec 4 was appreciative of the successful and smooth conduct of the ‘Road to Makkah’ project in the federal capital.

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The spokesperson of ministry of religious affairs said under this facility, immigration of about 22,000 Pakistani pilgrims was cleared at Islamabad International Airport.

He said Pakistan had now requested Saudi authorities to extend the facility to the cities of Karachi, Lahore, Quetta and Peshawar. He said the extension of ‘Road to Makkah’ facility to these cities would help Pakistan clear immigration of about ninety to ninety percent of its pilgrims at domestic airports.

Imran Siddiqui said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had also formed a committee to timely address the complaints of Pakistani pilgrims regarding food and transport in Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat.

He expressed the confidence that Hajj 2020 would be made the best in terms of arrangements.