ISLAMABAD: More than 40,000 Pakistanis have arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage since the government initiated a special flight operation last month to facilitate people ahead of one of the most multicultural religious gatherings in the world, according to an official statement issued in Islamabad on Sunday.
The Saudi authorities reinstated Pakistan’s pre-pandemic Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims and scrapped the upper age limit of 65 in January. The government scheme will accommodate about 80,000 Pakistani pilgrims, while private tour operators will facilitate the rest.
“40,781 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia on 158 flights,” said a statement released by the religious affairs ministry. “There are 27,686 Pakistanis in Madinah who intend to perform Hajj under the government scheme. 13,095 official Hajj pilgrims have also been brought to Makkah after an eight-day stay in Madinah.”
The first batch of Pakistani pilgrims commenced their spiritual journey from Madinah on May 22, where they stayed for about a week before being transported to Makkah.
In addition to the beneficiaries of the government Hajj scheme, over 1,000 other pilgrims facilitated by private tour operators have also arrived in Saudi Arabia.
The ministry announced that its monitoring team had completed the field assessment of 12 of these Hajj groups to ensure compliance with the required standards and regulations.
To address any concerns or issues faced by the pilgrims, the authorities have also established a helpline in the kingdom that will help address any complaints or inquiries.
Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, is an obligatory religious ritual for physically and financially capable adult Muslims.
The sacred journey takes place during the last month of the lunar Islamic calendar, known as Dhu Al-Hijjah.
With the arrival of the first few batches of pilgrims from across the world and the ongoing preparations, the stage is set for another Hajj season this year, in which about two million people are expected to participate.
