ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his satisfaction that thousands of Pakistani pilgrims would be facilitated under the ‘Road to Makkah’ project initiative and hoped that the initiative would be extended to other cities of Pakistan in future.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif received ‘Road to Makkah’ project team led by Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmad Al-Malkiy. It is pertinent to mention that ‘Road to Makkah’ is a Saudi initiative aimed at the completion of Saudi immigration and customs-related formalities before the departure of the pilgrims to perform Hajj, at the Islamabad International Airport.
Mansour Shahad S Alotaibi from the Saudi Department of the General Directorate of Passports was also present in the meeting. The prime minister assured full cooperation and support to the Saudi team for making the initiative a great success.
Welcoming the Saudi delegation, the Prime Minister reaffirmed that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy historic fraternal relations, which are marked by common understanding on all issues of mutual interest at regional and international level.
The Prime Minister shared that the people and leadership of Pakistan hold the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in high esteem, and conveyed warm greetings to His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman. Recalling consistent support of the Kingdom to Pakistan, the Prime Minister stated that the two countries have stood by each other through the vicissitudes of time.
Thanking the Prime Minister for his Government’s assistance to the Saudi Team for the effective implementation of the initiative, the Saudi Ambassador expressed the desire to further strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries, especially in the realms of trade, development and investment.
The ‘Road to Makkah’ is a Saudi initiative aimed at the completion of Saudi immigration and customs-related formalities before the departure of the pilgrims to perform Hajj, at the Islamabad International Airport. The Saudi Team is in Pakistan for facilitation of such pilgrims, prior to their departure to the Kingdom.