Usman Arshad, a student from Pakistan, entered Saudi Arabia this week after traveling more than 4,000 kilometers to Makkah in advance of this year’s Hajj, finally finishing his “dream adventure” that he began in October last year.
The 25-year-old student’s trip, which began in his hometown of Okara in Pakistan’s Punjab region, led him through numerous nations until he arrived in the holy city of Islam. He was carrying a tiny rucksack, an umbrella, and a pair of trekking shoes.
In a phone interview from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, Arshad said, “It took me around five and a half months to enter the Kingdom and see the first roadside board of Makkah inside the holy region.
He first had the notion to walk to Makkah in 2021, when he walked 1,270 miles in 34 days from Okara to the Khunjerab Pass on the Chinese border to project a positive picture of Pakistan.
He spent an additional nine months getting ready for the Saudi pilgrimage after deciding on his itinerary, and with the support of his family, he was able to save up about $6,800 to meet his costs. “I recall leaving my house in the sweltering heat on October 1, 2022. Then, in both great heat and cold, [my] journey proceeded, Arshad added. Allah, undoubtedly, is with the sick.
Arshad claimed that his first itinerary called for him to walk from Pakistan to Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and then Saudi Arabia, but he had to change it along the way since he had trouble getting visas.
Before commencing my journey, I had asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for assistance with getting visas, but I was unable to get a visa for Iraq, the pilgrim added.
Arshad claimed he came across numerous individuals along the route who assisted him after learning about his mission: I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many people along the way who have treated me with a great deal of respect and hospitality, especially after finding out that I’m walking to Makkah to complete the Hajj.
