ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia has opened its doors to over a million Muslim pilgrims from around the world as the annual Haj season begins, marking one of the most significant religious gatherings globally.
The kingdom has emphasized its extensive preparations to ensure a safe, smooth, and spiritually fulfilling experience for all pilgrims.
Expanded Facilities and Advanced Services
One of the highlights of this year’s Haj is the newly expanded Grand Mosque in Makkah, which now boasts double its previous capacity.
This expansion is a crucial feature reflecting Saudi Arabia’s commitment to accommodating the growing number of pilgrims each year.
In addition to physical infrastructure improvements, the kingdom has introduced cutting-edge digital tools to enhance pilgrims’ experience.
The Nusuk application offers real-time maps, crowd-aware navigation, emergency alerts, AI-powered voice translation in over 100 languages, and hydration reminders.
These innovations aim to make the pilgrimage safer and more manageable for people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
Streamlined Procedures and Heritage Preservation
Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route initiative has also been instrumental in simplifying the visa, customs, and health clearance process by allowing pilgrims to complete these formalities in their countries of origin.
Over 250,000 pilgrims benefited from this service, which has been operational in Pakistan since 2019, facilitating a smoother journey by enabling Saudi immigration clearance at Pakistani airports.
The kingdom has also reopened more than 50 Islamic landmarks between Makkah and Madina to strengthen pilgrims’ spiritual connection with Islamic history and culture.
Furthermore, more than 37,000 field inspections were conducted to ensure the readiness of critical services such as electricity, water, transportation, and emergency response systems.
Saudi Arabia continues to enforce the ‘No Permit, No Haj’ policy to maintain order and security during the pilgrimage, underscoring its role as the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and its dedication to serving millions undertaking this sacred journey.Haj pilgrims, Grand Mosque expansion, Saudi Arabia preparations
