Lahore airport added to Route to Makkah project for Haj 2026

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Airports Authority has said that Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport has been brought into the Route to Makkah project for Haj 2026, allowing intending pilgrims to complete immigration and customs procedures before leaving for Saudi Arabia.

According to the Pakistan Airports Authority, the arrangement will enable pilgrims departing from Lahore to undergo biometric verification and passport clearance by Saudi officials at the airport ahead of their departure.

A spokesperson for the authority said a high-level coordination meeting was held at Allama Iqbal International Airport to assess preparations for the launch of Route to Makkah operations from Lahore. The upcoming Haj season will mark the first time the facility is being extended from Lahore under the initiative.

Preparations reviewed at coordination meeting

The meeting was attended by Saudi Director of Haj Operations Mr Fuwaz Saud Al Shafiri, as well as a secretary from the Saudi Embassy. They met Airport Manager Erfan Khan and senior officials representing the Pakistan Airports Authority and several other departments involved in the process.

Officials from the Airport Security Force, Customs, the Federal Investigation Agency, the Anti-Narcotics Force, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also present, along with other stakeholders, the spokesperson said.

The review session focused on arrangements linked to the start of Route to Makkah operations from Lahore airport for Haj 2026. Under the project, Saudi authorities carry out key travel formalities before departure, which the Pakistan Airports Authority said would include biometric verification and passport clearance at the Lahore airport.

The Pakistan Airports Authority announced the development in connection with preparations for Haj 2026, saying Lahore’s inclusion in the programme would allow pilgrims to complete these procedures locally before boarding flights for Saudi Arabia.

The authority’s statement did not provide further operational details in the report, but it confirmed that coordination among Pakistani and Saudi officials and relevant agencies had begun through the meeting held at Allama Iqbal International Airport.

The participants included representatives from airport management, security, customs, immigration-related bodies and diplomatic channels, reflecting the multi-agency coordination required for the programme’s rollout from Lahore for the first time.

The Route to Makkah initiative, as described by the Pakistan Airports Authority in its announcement, is intended to facilitate pilgrims by completing immigration and customs-related formalities prior to arrival in Saudi Arabia.