Onlykashmir.in News Desk
The Awami Itihaad Party has welcomed the response of the Consulate General of India in Jeddah to Baramulla MP Er Rashid’s appeal for urgent assistance and the safe return of Umrah pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir who are stranded in Saudi Arabia because of flight disruptions.
AIP Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi said in Srinagar on Wednesday that Er Rashid, in a letter dated October 22, 2026 to External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, had highlighted the financial hardship and mental distress faced by the pilgrims. Many had exhausted their savings and were struggling to afford food, accommodation, medicines and alternative travel arrangements. The MP sought immediate arrangements for their safe return, with adequate accommodation, meals and medical assistance until their departure.
Replying to the letter, Consul General Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri said the Consulate was extending all possible assistance to affected Indian nationals. He confirmed that 24×7 control rooms had been set up in Jeddah and Makkah, and that assistance was being facilitated for food, essential medicines and other immediate needs in coordination with Saudi authorities, Indian community associations and local service providers.
The Consulate also said it was maintaining regular contact with tour operators and directly interacting with affected Indian nationals, including Umrah pilgrims, to understand their difficulties and help resolve them. It confirmed close coordination with the airlines concerned and with Saudi authorities, particularly the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, to address the problems arising from the flight disruptions. It assured that its efforts would continue and that it remained available to assist in specific cases brought to its attention.
Welcoming the reply, Inam Un Nabi said: “We appreciate MP Er Rashid’s intervention and the Consulate’s response. These pilgrims are facing uncertainty far from home, while their families in Kashmir remain deeply worried. The confirmation of assistance and coordination is welcome, but what matters most now is getting our pilgrims home safely.”
He urged the Ministry of External Affairs, the airlines and the Saudi authorities to prioritise the earliest possible return of all stranded pilgrims, to provide clear information about flight arrangements, and to ensure that no pilgrim is left without food, accommodation or essential medical care while waiting. Elderly pilgrims and those needing medical attention, he stressed, must receive particular consideration.
“Please do not allow these families to remain in uncertainty any longer than necessary,” he added, saying the authorities must make every possible effort to arrange the return without further delay and ensure that financial hardship does not prevent any pilgrim from accessing essential support.
The party said it would continue to follow the matter until the stranded pilgrims are safely reunited with their families in Jammu and Kashmir.
