ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government has increased the number of buses in Makkah to transport Hajj pilgrims from the country, the religious affairs ministry said on Tuesday, with over 65,000 arriving in the Kingdom since last month.
Pakistan launched its pre-Hajj flight operations last month, with so far 65,657 pilgrims from the South Asian country arriving in Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) said 61,607 pilgrims are staying in Makkah while 4,050 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims are staying in Madinah.
“The number of buses for pilgrims’ transportation in Makkah has increased to 294,” MoRA said in a statement.
The ministry said Hajj service staff and assistants numbering 1,322 have reached Saudi Arabia and taken up their duties to serve pilgrims. It said 84 percent of the government’s total required Hajj mission staff deployment has been completed.
“A total of 36 clinics/dispensaries are operational in Makkah and Madinah for pilgrims’ health care facilities,” MoRA said, adding that around 14,861 pilgrims have been provided guidance services at the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
Saudi Arabia hosts millions of Muslims annually for Hajj, which is one of Islam’s five pillars, that must be performed at least once by every able-bodied Muslim with the financial means to undertake the journey.
Pakistan is among the largest contributors of Hajj pilgrims, with tens of thousands traveling to Saudi Arabia each year under both government and private schemes. This year Islamabad is expected to send over 179,000 Pakistani pilgrims under both government and private Hajj schemes.
Many Pakistani pilgrims have been traveling to the Kingdom from Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad under the Route to Makkah Initiative this year as well.
The initiative enables them to undergo immigration and customs clearance in Pakistan, allowing them to bypass lengthy procedures upon arrival in Saudi Arabia and travel directly to their accommodation in Makkah or Madinah.
