Srinagar, Mar 6 : Nearly 200 Umrah pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir are stranded in Saudi Arabia after international flight services were suspended amid escalating tensions in West Asia, family members and travel agents said on Thursday.
The pilgrims, mostly from Srinagar, Budgam and Anantnag districts, are currently staying in hotels in Mecca, Medina and Jeddah after their scheduled return flights over the past two days were cancelled due to airspace restrictions.
Relatives of the stranded pilgrims said uncertainty over the resumption of flights has caused anxiety among families back home, particularly as many of the pilgrims are elderly.
Ghulam Mohammad Dar, a resident of Srinagar, said his 68-year-old mother was among those awaiting return.
“She completed her Umrah and was supposed to fly back, but the flight was cancelled. We have no clarity on when services will resume,” he said.
A family from Anantnag said two of their relatives, both in their sixties, were lodged in a hotel in Jeddah along with other pilgrims from the Valley. “They are safe, but the uncertainty is distressing,” a family member said.
Some families also expressed concern over additional expenses due to the extended stay. Rouf Ahmad from Anantnag district said his brother and sister-in-law were stranded in Medina. “They had not planned for a prolonged stay. We hope the authorities intervene and facilitate their return,” he said.
Travel agents in Srinagar said they were in touch with their counterparts in Saudi Arabia and local ground handlers. “The pilgrims are accommodated and safe. We are awaiting updates on flight operations,” a travel operator said.
The Indian missions in Saudi Arabia have issued helpline numbers and advised stranded nationals to remain in contact with tour operators and embassy officials.
An official at the Embassy of India said they were in touch with airlines and local authorities and would facilitate the return of Indian nationals once commercial flights resume.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed concern over residents of the Union Territory stranded in West Asian countries and said he was monitoring the situation. He noted that the Ministry of External Affairs was working to assist students, pilgrims and others awaiting return.(KNS).
