ISLAMABAD: A group of 25 Pakistani bikers are making the Umrah pilgrimage to Makkah to “promote peace, brotherhood, and religious tourism”. The group left from Lahore to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 6th January. The trip will cover around 14,000 km as the route will go through Iran and UAE while spending 19 days in Saudi Arabia.
After the Saudi government eased`restrictions for Umrah pilgrims last year, extending the validity of international pilgrim visas to three months and enabling them to use the permits to go to destinations other than Makkah. The Pakistani bikers decided to set out on their adventure to perform Umrah.
The main objective for the trip is to perform Umrah while traveling to Makkah on bikes. The bikers had adamant plans but due to the pandemic, the 2019 trip failed, a group leader recalled to Arab News.
The trip took five months to execute which is self-financed that will cost around 1 million Pakistani rupees ($4,300) per biker. The main objective for the journey is to promote peace, friendship, and religious tourism. Moreover, he added, that this will also promote a “positive image of Pakistan”. The bikers will also visit Iraq and Jordon when going back.
The group reached Sharjah, UAE on Sunday and will be entering it on 22nd January in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through Al-Batha Border. Moreover, the group also plans to visit tourist spots in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to promote tourism opportunities. The journey will also enhance the tourism vision of Saudi Arabia 2023.
The journey will include visits to Riyadh, Al-Rawadah, Taif, Makkah, Madinah, Duba, Tabuk, and other highways. For some bikers, this has been a dream come true to travel to perform Umrah.
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