Islamabad – May 15, 2025, corresponding to 17 Dhu al-Qadah 1446 AH — A number of Pakistani pilgrims expressed their deep gratitude and heartfelt thanks to the government of Saudi Arabia and those overseeing the "Road to Makkah" initiative, for the outstanding services and significant facilitation they experienced, which eased their spiritual journey to the holy lands and spared them the burden of lengthy procedures and travel hardship, especially for elderly pilgrims.

Pakistan is among the countries benefiting from the "Road to Makkah" initiative, which the Saudi Ministry of Interior has implemented for the seventh consecutive year as part of the Guests of God Service Program, one of the Saudi Vision 2030 programs, in partnership with several government agencies aiming to provide a smooth, high-quality Hajj experience from the pilgrim's home country to their place of residence in Makkah or Madinah.

The initiative offers integrated services including:

  • Electronic issuance of Hajj visas
  • Biometric data collection
  • Completion of passport procedures in the country of departure
  • Verification of health requirements
  • Coding and sorting of luggage according to accommodation and transport arrangements
  • Direct transport of pilgrims via dedicated routes to their places of residence
  • Delivery of luggage to residential accommodations through the initiative's partners

The initiative is implemented in cooperation with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health, Hajj and Umrah, and Media, in addition to the General Authority of Civil Aviation, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), the General Authority for Endowments (Awqaf), and the General Directorate of Passports.

The "Road to Makkah" initiative embodies the Saudi leadership's keenness to provide the finest services to the guests of God, and affirms the Kingdom's leadership in developing the Hajj and Umrah system through smart solutions and professional organization befitting the pilgrims' status and the Kingdom's role in serving them.