Saudi Arabia welcomed the first group of pilgrims for this year’s Hajj season, as well as participants of the “Makkah Road” initiative.
Arrivals from Bangladesh were received at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, while those from Türkiye and Pakistan were greeted at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in the Madinah region.
Authorities at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah also welcomed the first group of pilgrims from Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Farooq, and Consul General in Jeddah, Khalid Majid, greeted Pakistani pilgrims, totaling around 179,210 this year. About half will perform the rituals through the government, while the rest through private companies.
Saudi authorities are committed to easing entry for pilgrims by upgrading ports with the latest technology and qualified staff. Flights from Malaysia and Türkiye, part of the Makkah Road initiative, are arriving within hours.
The company handling pilgrims from non-Arab African countries welcomed the first group from South Africa, comprising 49 pilgrims.
Pilgrims in Makkah were warmly welcomed by a team from “Ithraa Al-Khair Company for Pilgrims Services” which presented them with commemorative gifts.
Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry is continuing its “Makkah Road” initiative for the sixth year, part of the Kingdom’s national transformation plan, “Vision 2030,” with designated halls in 11 airports across 7 countries: Morocco, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Türkiye, and Ivory Coast.
The aim of the initiative is to provide smooth transportation for pilgrims from these countries to the Kingdom, including electronic Hajj visa issuance, biometric data collection, and streamlined entry procedures.
Baggage is handled and sorted, and pilgrims are directly transported to their accommodations in Makkah and Medina via dedicated routes, while partner agencies manage luggage delivery.
