ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Interior Minister Dr Nasir Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Dawood on Wednesday agreed to fully implement the ‘Road-to-Makkah’ project.
According to an official statement issued by the Ministry of Interior, Sanaullah during a meeting with Saudi Deputy Interior Minister at the level of delegations discussed matters of mutual interest, including Pakistan-Saudi bilateral relations. Minister of State for Interior Abdul Rahman Kanju, Secretary Interior Syed Ali Murtaza, and other officials attended the meeting, it says.
It says that under this Road to Makkah program, Saudi immigration facilities will be provided to Hajj pilgrims in Pakistan itself.
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Due to this program, people will not have to wait and suffer, it says, adding that this project has been started from Islamabad International Airport. During the meeting, it was agreed to start the project at Karachi and Lahore airports in the next phase so that more and more pilgrims can benefit from this facility.
This project has provided immense convenience and comfort to the Pakistani pilgrims and we are grateful to the Saudi government for this, said Interior Minister Sanaullah.
Saudi Arabia wanted the project to be initiated from Pakistan first, the Saudi Deputy Interior Minister said during the meeting.
We are trying our best to bring the murder case of the Saudi diplomat in 2011 to its logical conclusion and the accused will be punished, Sanaullah said.
The interior minister inquired from the Saudi deputy interior minister about the early release of Pakistani citizens imprisoned in Saudi jails for minor crimes.
As many as 108 Pakistani nationals have been released, while the cases of several prisoners are being investigated, the Saudi deputy interior minister said. Saudi Deputy Minister of Interior assured to make possible the early release of such prisoners. Both sides also agreed to further improve the coordination between the interior ministries of the two countries to deal with common challenges, the statement said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023