ISLAMABAD: Saudi authorities have launched a health awareness campaign in several languages, including Urdu, for pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, Pakistani state media reported 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.
This year, around 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims are expected to perform the pilgrimage, of which around 70,000 people will undertake the journey under the government scheme, while the rest will use private tour operators.
The health awareness campaign for Hajj pilgrims is being carried out at key locations in the Kingdom through dozens of screens, the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“The campaign is being carried out through 97 smart display screens at various locations including Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport, the Haramain High Speed Railway Station, shuttle buses, pilgrim reception centers, malls and the health cluster’s facilities,” the report read.
“Messages cover issues such as the dangers of direct sun exposure, heat exhaustion, dehydration, food poisoning, first aid, personal hygiene and other health topics.”
More than 42,000 Pakistani pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia and around 390 assistants, including Pakistani civil and uniformed officers, are currently working for their travel and accommodation as well as for providing quality food to the pilgrims, according to the Pakistani religion ministry.
Over 150 officers of the religious affairs ministry are facilitating pilgrims at the Main Control Office, Madinah and Jeddah Airports, Lost and Found Department, Madinah Departure Cell, Monitoring Cell, and Accounts and Administration Departments.
This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14 till June 19.
Saudi Arabia launches health awareness campaign for Hajj pilgrims in Urdu, other languages
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Saudi Arabia launches health awareness campaign for Hajj pilgrims in Urdu, other languages
- This year, around 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims are expected to perform the annual pilgrimage
- Pakistan has appointed nearly 550 assistants, staff to ensure well-being of these pilgrims
Pakistan stocks edge higher as export financing, industrial power tariffs are cut
- KSE-100 index gained 1,607.26 points, or 0.88%, to close at 183,945.38
- Rebound follows steep sell-off a day earlier amid regional geopolitical tensions
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s stock market rebounded on Friday, with the benchmark index gaining more than 1,600 points, as analysts pointed to cuts in export refinancing rates and lower electricity tariffs for industrial consumers as key drivers of the recovery.
The KSE-100 index rose 1,607.26 points, or 0.88%, to close at 183,945.38, up from 182,338.12 a day earlier, according to Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) data.
The uptick followed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement of a Rs4.4 per unit cut in electricity tariffs for industrial consumers, alongside a reduction in the export refinance rate from 7.5% to 4.5%.
“Stocks staged an early recovery at the PSX on institutional buying in oversold scrips after the prime minister’s assurance to renegotiate the IMF deal, along with cuts in the export refinance rate to 4.5% and industrial power tariffs by Rs4.4 per unit,” Arif Habib Commodities Chief Executive Officer Ahsan Mehanti told Arab News.
He added that higher global crude oil prices and earnings-season speculation also acted as catalysts for bullish activity.
According to local media reports last week, Pakistan is seeking flexibility in IMF lending conditions for the 2026–27 budget and aims to renegotiate its agreement to complete the remaining $7 billion under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and a $1.4 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) by September 2027.
The rebound came a day after Pakistani stocks plunged 6,042.26 points on Thursday, a drop analysts attributed to heavy selling and heightened geopolitical tensions between Iran and the United States.
Those concerns intensified after US President Donald Trump warned Iran this week that “time is running out” to reach a deal on its nuclear program, amid a steady buildup of US military forces in the Gulf.
