Over 170,000 Pakistani pilgrims return home from Hajj

In this file photo, Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmad, Federal Secretary, Ministry of Religious Affairs sends off pilgrims from Jeddah on August 20. (Photo Courtesy – Ministry of Religious Affairs)

Special flights for Hajj pilgrims – which began on August 17 to bring back 200,000 Pakistanis – will continue until September 15. (AFP / File)

• Specially designated flights to bring the Hajjis back will continue until September 15
• 200,000 Pakistanis performed the pilgrimage this year

ISLAMABAD: More than 170,000 pilgrims have returned to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia since August 17 after completing the Hajj pilgrimage, the Ministry of Religious Affairs said in a statement released on Monday
“[The returnees include] 99,000 from the government quota and 72,000 who were using services offered by private tour and Hajj operators,” Imran Siddiqui, MRA spokesman said in a statement, adding that 23,000 others are still in Madina.
Special flights – which began on August 17 to bring the 200,000 pilgrims back – will continue until September 15.
“Elaborate arrangements have been made on Pakistan’s 10 airports to welcome the pilgrims on their return,” Siddiqui said.
Pakistani officials lauded the Kingdom’s arrangements and hospitality extended to pilgrims during Hajj this year.
For the first time this year, a pre-immigration pilot program was launched at the Islamabad International Airport as part of Saudi’s Road to Makkah project which Pakistan had been included in on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s request.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had made the announcement during his historic visit to Islamabad in February this year.
The initiative was aimed at facilitating Hajj pilgrims by way of a faster immigration process which helped them save up to 10 hours of waiting time on their arrival in Saudi Arabia.