ISLAMABAD: Pakistani pilgrims began moving to Muzdalifah on Saturday evening after spending the day in Arafat, where they had gathered in the morning to attend the annual Hajj sermon and engage in prayers and self-reflection, as confirmed by the country’s Ministry of Religious Affairs.
The Day of Arafat holds tremendous significance as it commemorates the moment more than 1,400 years ago when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) delivered his Farewell Sermon, calling for unity, equality and justice among Muslims.
After spending a reflective night under the starry sky in Muzdalifah, pilgrims will move to Mina in the morning to perform the symbolic stoning of the devil at Jamarat, an act signifying the rejection of evil.
“After completing the standing at Arafat, all Pakistani government Hajj pilgrims, along with other pilgrims, set off toward Muzdalifah,” the ministry said in a statement. “The Pakistani pilgrims departed for Muzdalifah under the guidance of their sector representatives.”
“The pilgrims seemed satisfied with the arrangements made by the Saudi authorities, and they continued to congratulate each other happily after completing their stay in Arafat,” the statement added.
Earlier, pilgrims from across the world attended the Hajj sermon delivered by one of the prayer leaders of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Sheikh Maher bin Hamad Al-Muaiqly, who urged them to pray for the Palestinians who had been “harmed and hurt by their enemy.”
He noted the people of Palestine had been deprived of “food, medicine and clothing.”
Asked about their Hajj experience, Pakistani pilgrims said they were fortunate to be in Arafat to perform one of the greatest rituals in Islam.
“The experience in Mina and Arafat has remained very good,” Ilyas Kabir from DG Khan said in a video circulated by the ministry. “It is a great blessing to have the opportunity to perform Hajj. I urge the pilgrims to be patient.”
An elderly woman in a wheelchair, who said she had been performing Hajj with her son, informed that she had been praying for the entire Muslim world.
“I pray for all Muslims,” she said. “Good wishes, good intentions, especially for Palestine. May there be peace and tranquility. May Allah grant them freedom.”
The stoning ritual at Jamarat in the morning will be followed by the traditional animal sacrifice, leading to Eid Al-Adha celebrations across the world.
With input from AP
Pakistani pilgrims transition from Arafat to Muzdalifah, marking key rituals of Hajj journey
https://arab.news/vxyqh
Pakistani pilgrims transition from Arafat to Muzdalifah, marking key rituals of Hajj journey
- Pilgrims attended the annual Hajj sermon in Arafat where they were urged to pray for people of Palestine
- After spending the night in Muzdalifah, pilgrims will perform symbolic stoning of the devil in the morning
Pakistan says it seized 32 square kilometers inside Afghanistan as border clashes escalate
- Security official describes ‘limited tactical action’ in Gudwana after Afghan assaults
- Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering militants as UN, China and Russia urge restraint
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has seized a 32-square-kilometer area inside Afghanistan following overnight fighting, a security official said on Saturday, as cross-border clashes between the two countries escalated sharply.
A Pakistani security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said troops carried out a “limited tactical action” in the Gudwana area opposite the Zhob sector along the frontier, capturing Afghan territory after responding to attacks on Pakistani positions.
“On the night of Feb. 26/27, posts opposite the Zhob sector launched anticipated physical attacks on multiple Pakistani positions,” the official said, referring to fighters linked to Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, whom Islamabad identifies as Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA).
“In response to aggressive unprovoked fire and physical attacks, Pakistan security forces launched a limited tactical action on the night of Feb. 27/28 in the general area of Gudwana with a view to capture TTA Tahir Post,” he continued, adding that 32 square kilometers of Afghan territory were seized.
The official said special combat teams crossed the border after preparatory bombardment, supported by intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets providing “real-time battlefield awareness.”
He said 24 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed and 37 wounded, with no Pakistani casualties reported.
The claims could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate confirmation from Taliban authorities in Kabul of any territorial loss in the Gudwana area.
The latest clashes erupted after Pakistani airstrikes targeted what Islamabad described as militant hideouts inside Afghanistan over the weekend, triggering retaliatory fire along the frontier and sharply escalating long-running tensions. Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering Pakistani Taliban militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, an allegation that Afghanistan denies.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday evening that 352 Afghan Taliban fighters had been killed and more than 535 wounded since the latest phase of hostilities began.
Tarar said Pakistani strikes had destroyed 130 check posts, 171 tanks and armored vehicles and targeted 41 locations across Afghanistan by air. Those figures could not be independently verified.
The United Nations, as well as China and Russia, have called for restraint.
The United States said Pakistan has the right to defend itself against cross-border militancy.
