ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday felicitated the global Buddhist community as its members observe Vesak Day, which celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha, the founder of their faith.
Vesak Day is among the most sacred days in the Buddhist calendar, with its observance varying among different Buddhist traditions and cultures but generally falling on the full moon day of the ancient lunar month of Vesakha, which occurs in May or early June on the Gregorian calendar.
Although Pakistan does not have a significant Buddhist population, several parts of the country were historically important centers of Buddhism during the Gandhara period, from around the 1st century BCE to the 7th century CE.
The Pakistani government has sought to develop religious tourism in these areas, mainly concentrated in today’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern Punjab regions, and has regularly hosted Buddhist pilgrims and religious leaders in recent years.
“On this Vesakh Day, we extend warm wishes to our Buddhist friends worldwide,” the prime minister said in a social media post. “May this day bring peace, prosperity, and harmony to all.”
“Let’s celebrate our shared heritage and continue working toward mutual respect and understanding,” he added.

Pakistan has taken several initiatives aimed at improving its international image by enhancing its treatment of religious minorities and promoting religious tourism. One prominent example is the Kartarpur Corridor, inaugurated in November 2019, which provides visa-free access for Sikh pilgrims from India to visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.
The site is highly significant in Sikhism as it is where Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, spent the last years of his life.
Despite its efforts, however, the country continues to face challenges, including occasional mob violence and discrimination against minorities, highlighting the ongoing struggle to ensure consistent protection and enforcement of minority rights.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs announced on Thursday 31,057 Hajj pilgrims benefiting from the government scheme have reached Saudi Arabia since the launch of its special flight operation on May 9, with an additional 2,450 pilgrims scheduled to arrive in Madinah later in the day on 12 flights.
The country has so far operated 126 Hajj flights that have taken the pilgrims to the holy city of Madinah to spend the first few days in the kingdom before being transported to Makkah to perform Hajj rituals. However, the country will start direct Hajj flights to Jeddah – about an hour’s drive from Makkah – starting tomorrow.
Over 12,000 Pakistani pilgrims, who have completed their stay in Madinah, have already been driven to Makkah, with the ministry announcing the Aziziyah and Batha Quraish neighborhoods are beginning to bustle with them.
“Through 126 Hajj flights, 31,057 government-sponsored pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia,” the ministry said in its statement. “Today, an additional 2,450 pilgrims will reach Madinah through 12 flights. More than 2,000 pilgrims under the private scheme have also arrived in the kingdom.”
The statement also informed the ministry had engaged 156 people to provide medical facilities pilgrims while 336 were responsible for arranging transport, accommodation and food.
It added the officials in the main control office in Makkah were also providing guidance and assistance to the pilgrims through the Pakistan Hajj cellphone app.
Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims, of which 63,805 people will perform the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest will benefit from private tour operators.
This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14 till June 19.