ISLAMABAD: Pakistan concluded its month-long pre-Hajj flight operations on Monday, the country’s religion ministry confirmed, after the last flight carrying pilgrims performing the Hajj under the government’s scheme left for Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan kicked off its pre-Hajj flight operations to Saudi Arabia on May 9 to transport pilgrims who will perform the pilgrimage under the government’s scheme. Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims this year, of which around 70,000 people are expected to 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.
The last flight which was a part of the Hajj operation left for Saudi Arabia with 380 Pakistani pilgrims on Monday, the country’s Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) said in a statement.
“The successful operation is a result of the Ministry of Religious Affair’s tireless efforts,” Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Pakistan’s minister for religious affairs, said.
Hussain described Hajj as a “sacred” duty for Muslims, saying that the government will continue its efforts to provide all facilities for the pilgrims.
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.
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.
A government official said earlier this month that out of Pakistan’s total quota of 179,210 pilgrims, around 160,000 pilgrims from the country are expected to perform the pilgrimage.
Pakistan concludes month-long pre-Hajj flight operation
https://arab.news/m78g4
Pakistan concludes month-long pre-Hajj flight operation
- Pakistan started flight operations to transport around 70,000 pilgrims on May 9
- Last Hajj flight leaves for Saudi Arabia with 380 Pakistani pilgrims, says religion ministry
World Bank president in Pakistan to discuss development projects, policy issues
- Pakistan, World Bank are currently gearing up to implement a 10-year partnership framework to grant $20 billion loans to the cash-strapped nation
- World Bank President Ajay Banga will hold meetings with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior officials during the high-level visit
ISLAMABAD: World Bank President Ajay Banga has arrived in Pakistan to hold talks with senior government officials on development projects and key policy issues, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday, as Islamabad seeks multilateral support to stabilize economy and accelerate growth.
The visit comes at a time when Pakistan and the World Bank are gearing up to implement a 10-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF) to grant $20 billion in loans to the cash-strapped nation.
The World Bank’s lending for Pakistan, due to start this year, will focus on education quality, child stunting, climate resilience, energy efficiency, inclusive development and private investment.
"World Bank President Ajay Banga arrives in Pakistan for a high-level visit," the state-run Pakistan TV Digital reported on Sunday. "During his stay, he will meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior officials to discuss economic reforms, development projects, and key policy issues."
Pakistan, which nearly defaulted on its foreign debt obligations in 2023, is currently making efforts to stabilize its economy under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.
Besides efforts to boost trade and foreign investment, Islamabad has been seeking support from multilateral financial institutions to ensure economic recovery.
“This partnership fosters a unified and focused vision for your county around six outcomes with clear, tangible and ambitious 10-year targets,” Martin Raiser, the World Bank vice president for South Asia, had said at the launch of the CPF in Jan. last year.
“We hope that the CPF will serve as an anchor for this engagement to keep us on the right track. Partnerships will equally be critical. More resources will be needed to have the impact at the scale that we wish to achieve and this will require close collaboration with all the development partners.”
In Dec., the World Bank said it had approved $700 million in financing for Pakistan under a multi-year initiative aimed at supporting the country's macroeconomic stability and service delivery.
It followed a $47.9 million World Bank grant in August last year to improve primary education in Pakistan's most populous Punjab province.
