SRINAGAR: The Consulate General of India in Jeddah has confirmed round-the-clock assistance for Indian nationals, including Umrah pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia due to flight disruptions, following an intervention by Baramulla MP Er Rashid, the Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) said on Wednesday.
AIP chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi welcomed the Consulate’s response, but called for urgent arrangements to ensure the safe and early return of the stranded pilgrims to Jammu and Kashmir.
In a letter dated October 22, 2026, addressed to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Er Rashid had sought immediate assistance for the affected pilgrims, highlighting their financial difficulties and mental distress. He said many had exhausted their savings and were struggling to meet expenses for food, accommodation, medicines and alternative travel arrangements.
The MP had urged the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure their safe return and provide adequate accommodation, meals and medical assistance until their departure.
In its response, 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 established in Jeddah and Makkah to coordinate support for food, essential medicines and other immediate requirements.
The assistance is being facilitated in coordination with Saudi authorities, Indian community associations and local service providers, the Consulate said.
It added that it was maintaining regular contact with tour operators and directly engaging with affected Indian nationals, including Umrah pilgrims, to assess their difficulties and provide necessary support.
The Consulate also said it was coordinating with the concerned airlines and Saudi authorities, particularly the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, to address issues arising from the flight disruptions. It assured that assistance would continue and that specific cases brought to its attention would be taken up.
Welcoming the response, Inam Un Nabi said the intervention by Er Rashid and the Consulate’s assurance of assistance were positive developments, but stressed that the priority must now be to bring the pilgrims home safely.
He said the uncertainty was causing distress to the stranded pilgrims and their families in Kashmir, and urged the Ministry of External Affairs, airlines and Saudi authorities to prioritise their return and provide clear information about flight arrangements.
Inam also called for uninterrupted access to food, accommodation and essential medical care while the pilgrims awaited their return, with particular attention to elderly people and those requiring medical assistance.
He urged the authorities to ensure that financial hardship did not prevent any pilgrim from receiving essential support.
The AIP said it would continue to pursue the matter until the stranded pilgrims returned safely to their families in Jammu and Kashmir.
