LONDON (Kashmir English): The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has established new procedures that enable Umrah 2026 pilgrims to exit the Kingdom with greater ease.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah required pilgrims to maintain communication with their Umrah operators for travel confirmation while they needed to complete checkout processes with their respective hotels or other accommodation providers.
The ministry required pilgrims to plan their airport transportation because they needed to reach the airport four hours before their flight departure time. Officials reminded that the final date for Umrah visa holders to exit Saudi Arabia is Dhul Qa’dah 1, 1447, which falls on April 18 2026.
They warned that anyone who stays beyond this deadline will face strict penalties, which include fines, imprisonment, and deportation. The Ministry of Interior established that citizens and residents must not provide help to pilgrims who stay beyond their visa limits through any means, which includes providing them with shelter, employment, or transportation services.
The organization established that anyone found breaking these rules will receive harsh punishment, which includes fines, jail time, and deportation.
Authorities required Umrah service providers to report all incidents of overstaying their visa status using urgent channels. The organization established that organizations that fail to report such violations will incur financial penalties.
Hundreds of Pakistani Pilgrims Still Stuck in Karbala
At least 450 Pakistani pilgrims remain stranded in Karbala, Iraq, after the closure of Iraqi airspace amid escalating tensions between Iran, Israel, and the United States.
According to the news source, the airspace shutdown has grounded flights since 9 Ramadan, which has left more than 450 Pakistani zaireen unable to return home. Around 50 pilgrims holding Saudi Umrah visas have already managed to reach Pakistan safely.
Some pilgrims with extra funds have managed to leave Iraq via Iran by road, while others found alternative routes through Jordan before returning to Pakistan. The group consists of women, children, and elderly citizens, who currently face difficulties in obtaining basic daily requirements.
Pilgrims report that they cannot purchase food and essential medicines because their money has run out, and many elderly pilgrims have experienced worsening health because they cannot access the required medication.
The pilgrims report that the Pakistani embassy and the consulate in Iraq have not contacted them, while the diplomatic staff shows no willingness to help them return home.
The pilgrims have now appealed directly to the Government of Pakistan for urgent evacuation support. The Iranian-Israeli conflict, which escalated during the last few months, has caused extensive regional unrest and led to the shutdown of airspace in Iraq, Iran, and various Middle Eastern locations, which has interrupted commercial flights and air travel.
Recent reporting shows that thousands of international flights were cancelled and many airports, including those in Baghdad and Tehran, were affected by the disruptions.
