ISLAMABAD: Around 160,000 Pakistani pilgrims will perform Hajj this year, a government official said on Wednesday, as people continue to reach Makkah ahead of the annual pilgrimage scheduled for later this month.
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, requiring every adult Muslim to undertake the pilgrimage 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, of which around 70,000 people will perform the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest will use private tour operators.
This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14-19.
“160,000 Pakistani pilgrims are performing Hajj this year,” the religious affairs ministry spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday. “Nearly 90,000 Pakistani pilgrims will perform Hajj through private Hajj companies.”
The official said 55,284 pilgrims had reached Makkah via 214 flights under the government Hajj scheme while over 30,000 others were present in Saudi Arabia with private Hajj tour operators.
The spokesperson concluded that the Hajj flight operation that began on May 9 would continue till June 9.
Separately, the Pakistan Hajj Mission (PHM) has also been conducting regular inspections of kitchens run by catering companies to ensure hygienic food supply to pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom to perform Hajj.
On June 4, the PHM imposed 17 penalties amounting to SAR 263,580 ($71,000) on six catering companies contracted to provide meals to Pakistani pilgrims. Nine catering companies have been employed to fulfill the food demands of pilgrims.
A 400-member dedicated Pakistan Hajj Medical Mission is also working around the clock to serve Pakistani pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan has established two hospitals and 11 dispensaries in the Saudi cities of Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah to provide health care to Hajj pilgrims.
160,000 Pakistani pilgrims to perform Hajj this year — religious affairs ministry
https://arab.news/8pskx
160,000 Pakistani pilgrims to perform Hajj this year — religious affairs ministry
- 55,284 pilgrims have reached Makkah via 214 flights operated as part of government scheme
- Around 70,000 will perform Hajj under the government scheme, rest will use private operators
Pakistan to promote mineral sector at Saudi forum this month with 13 companies
- Delegation will take part in the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh from Jan. 13-15
- Petroleum minister will lead Pakistan, participate in a 90-minute country session
ISLAMABAD: Around 13 Pakistani state-owned and private companies will attend the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Saudi Arabia from Jan. 13 to 15, an official statement said on Friday, as the country seeks to ramp up global engagement to develop its mineral resources.
The FMF is an international conference and investment platform for the mining sector, hosted by mineral-rich countries to attract global investors, companies and governments.
Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik confirmed Pakistan’s participation in a meeting with the Saudi envoy, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki.
Pakistan hosts one of the world’s largest copper-gold zones. The Reko Diq mine in southwestern Balochistan, with an estimated 5.9 billion tons of ore, is partly owned by Barrick Gold, which calls it one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold deposits. Its development is expected to boost Pakistan’s struggling economy.
“Upon an invitation of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Federal Minister informed the Ambassador that Pakistan will fully participate in the upcoming Future Minerals Forum (FMF), scheduled to be held in Riyadh later this month,” Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID) said in an official statement.
The Pakistani minister will lead his country’s delegation at the FMF and take part in a 90-minute country showcase session titled “Unleashing Potential: Accelerating Pakistan’s Mineral Revolution” along with local and foreign investors.
Pakistan will also establish a dedicated pavilion to highlight the vast potential of its rich geological landscape to the global mineral community.
The Saudi envoy welcomed Pakistan’s decision to participate in the forum and discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation in the minerals and energy sectors during the meeting.
According to the statement, he highlighted the potential for cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in the minerals and energy sectors, expressing confidence that the FMF would provide a platform to expand collaboration.
Pakistan’s mineral sector, despite its rich reserves of salt, copper, gold and coal, contributes only 3.2 percent to the country’s GDP and just 0.1 percent to global mineral exports.
However, many countries, including the United States, have shown interest in Pakistan’s underdeveloped mineral sector, particularly in copper, gold and other critical resources.
In October, Pakistan dispatched its first-ever shipment of rare earth and critical minerals to the United States, according to a Chicago-based US public relations firm’s report.
