ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s religious affairs minister on Wednesday vowed to provide Pakistani pilgrims going to Saudi Arabia for Hajj this year the “best possible facilities,” said an official statement, adding no compromise would be made over the comfort of people traveling from the South Asian country.
The Hajj is an obligatory religious ritual for adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable, which involves visiting the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah at least once in their lifetime during the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar, known as Dhu Al-Hijjah.
“Efforts are underway to complete the Hajj-related arrangements at the earliest,” said the minister, Senator Talha Mahmood, during a meeting held in Islamabad.
The secretary for religious affairs provided a detailed briefing on the Hajj operations to the participants of the meeting, saying the biometrics of pilgrims would be completed by Friday, April 28.
“Valid passports have also been sought from Hajj pilgrims by April 28,” the statement quoted the secretary as saying.
He added that the training for Hajj rituals and administrative affairs, conducted by Hajj camps across the country, would start on Thursday, April 27 and that participation in training related to Hajj would be compulsory for all intending pilgrims.
Each year, the ministry’s Hajj wing organizes pre-departure training sessions via Hajj camps at the district level to educate pilgrims about the different rites of Hajj to ensure that people do not face any trouble while performing their religious obligations.
The secretary further said Hajj flights would start on May 20, while the last flight carrying pilgrims would depart from Pakistan on June 21.
This year, Saudi Arabia reinstated Pakistan’s pre-pandemic Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims and removed the age limit of 65.
