AIMIM chief urges government to arrange special flights for stranded Umrah pilgrims

Owaisi raised concerns about the plight of Umrah pilgrims who have found themselves unable to secure affordable passage back to India following the conclusion of their religious journey to Saudi Arabia. According to the AIMIM leader, a significant portion of these stranded travellers belong to lower-income communities and lack the financial resources to purchase new tickets on Saudi Arabian airlines operating return services.

The political leader's intervention highlights the logistical challenges faced by pilgrims attempting to return home, particularly those travelling on budget arrangements organized through various religious and community groups. Many of these pilgrims reportedly exhausted their savings for the initial journey and now face unexpected additional expenses for their homebound travel.

Owaisi's appeal to the central government underscores the need for coordinated intervention to address the humanitarian aspect of the situation. Special chartered flights, he suggested, would provide a cost-effective solution for repatriation while ensuring vulnerable populations are not left in difficult circumstances abroad.

The issue reflects broader concerns about the management of pilgrimage travel, particularly for economically weaker sections of society undertaking religious journeys to Saudi Arabia. Government intervention through subsidized or specially arranged flights would ease the financial burden on affected families and ensure timely return of Indian nationals.