Lahore, February 10, 2025: Hundreds of Pakistani Umrah pilgrims were denied boarding and offloaded from flights due to the absence of a mandatory polio vaccination certificate, sources confirmed.
At Lahore Airport, several Saudi-bound passengers were refused boarding passes after failing to present the required certification. Similar incidents occurred at airports nationwide, with hundreds of pilgrims facing last-minute travel disruptions in the past 24 hours.
Saudi Arabia has made polio vaccination mandatory for Umrah pilgrims traveling from Pakistan. However, obtaining a polio vaccination certificate has proven to be a challenging and time-consuming process.
While oral polio vaccine (OPV) drops are readily available at health facilities, only District Health Officers (DHOs) are authorized to update vaccination records in the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) system. This restriction has caused significant delays, as DHOs struggle to manage the overwhelming number of certification requests.
In a recent policy shift, Saudi Arabia abolished the mandatory Neisseria meningitis vaccination for Pakistani travelers heading for Umrah or Hajj.
The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) issued a circular on Thursday, instructing all airlines operating in the kingdom to comply with the revised directive, which reverses a previous requirement for meningitis shots.
According to Khaleej Times, the new policy affects travelers from several countries, easing entry requirements for Umrah pilgrims. However, the polio vaccination requirement remains in effect for Pakistani travelers.
