ISLAMABAD: A total of 2,501 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims have arrived in Madinah in the first two days of Pakistan’s pre-Hajj flight operation, the Pakistani religious affairs ministry said on Friday.
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and requires every adult Muslim to undertake the journey to the holy Islamic sites in Makkah at least once in their lifetime, if they are financially and physically able.
Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims this year, according to the Pakistani religious affairs ministry. Of them, 63,805 pilgrims will be performing the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest would be accommodated by private tour operators.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmed Farooq and Hajj Director-General Abdul Wahab Soomro warmly welcomed Pakistani pilgrims upon arrival in the holy city of Madinah.
“Pakistani Hajj pilgrims along with other pilgrims started arriving at the Prophet’s Mosque to offer Friday prayers,” a spokesperson for the Pakistani religious affairs ministry said.
“Due to the increasing rush, the roof of the Prophet’s Mosque was also opened for worshippers.”
Welcoming the Pakistani pilgrims on Friday morning, Ambassador Farooq urged them to demonstrate discipline during their stay in Saudi Arabia and thanked the Kingdom for ensuring “best” arrangements for the devotees.
“Pilgrims should demonstrate best discipline to increase the prestige of the country,” the Pakistani religious affairs ministry quoted the ambassador as saying.
“We are grateful to the Saudi government for making the best arrangements for Hajj pilgrims.”
Soomro said the pre-Hajj flight operation was ongoing successfully and feedback about different facilities would be sought from pilgrims through the Pak Hajj app.
This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14 till June 19.
2,501 Pakistani pilgrims arrive in Madinah in first two days of pre-Hajj flight operation
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2,501 Pakistani pilgrims arrive in Madinah in first two days of pre-Hajj flight operation
- Pakistan on Thursday launched its pre-Hajj flight operation which will continue till June 9
- Pakistan envoy urges Hajj pilgrims to demonstrate discipline during stay in Saudi Arabia
Pakistani students stuck in Afghanistan permitted to go home
- The border between the countries has been shut since Oct. 12
- Worries remain for students about return after the winter break
JALALABAD: After three months, some Pakistani university students who were stuck in Afghanistan due to deadly clashes between the neighboring countries were “permitted to go back home,” Afghan border police said Monday.
“The students from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (northwest Pakistan) who were stuck on this side of the border, only they were permitted to cross and go to their homes,” said Abdullah Farooqi, Afghan border police spokesman.
The border has “not reopened” for other people, he said.
The land border has been shut since October 12, leaving many people with no affordable option of making it home.
“I am happy with the steps the Afghan government has taken to open the road for us, so that my friends and I will be able to return to our homes” during the winter break, Anees Afridi, a Pakistani medical student in eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, told AFP.
However, worries remain for the hundreds of students about returning to Afghanistan after the break ends.
“If the road is still closed from that side (Pakistan), we will be forced to return to Afghanistan for our studies by air.”
Flights are prohibitively expensive for most, and smuggling routes also come at great risk.
Anees hopes that by the time they return for their studies “the road will be open on both sides through talks between the two governments.”
