Pakistan’s pre-Hajj flight operation in full swing as over 9,844 pilgrims arrive in Madinah

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s pre-Hajj flight operation is in full swing as more than 9,844 pilgrims have so far reached Madinah from different parts of the South Asian country via 40 flights, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Monday. 

Muhammad Umar Butt, a spokesperson of Pakistan’s religion ministry, told APP three flights each from Islamabad and Karachi, four from Lahore, and one each from Multan and Sialkot on Sunday transported 3,254 Hajj pilgrims to Madinah ahead of the Hajj pilgrimage. 

“Since May 9, different airlines operated almost 40 flights from major cities of Pakistan to transport the guests of Allah Almighty to the holy city of Madinah in first leg of their pilgrimage,” APP said. 

Butt said from May 17, Pakistani pilgrims who have completed their eight-day stay in Madinah will start departing for the holy city of Makkah where Muslims from across the world will start gathering for the annual pilgrimage. 

He said the ministry has taken “elaborate arrangements” to extend maximum facilities to pilgrims from both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. He said before the pre-Hajj flight operation kicked off on May 9, the religion ministry held extensive training sessions to teach Pakistani pilgrims about Hajj obligatory acts and informed them about key arrangements made by the government to ensure their pilgrimage remains hassle-free. 

Butt said the ministry, under the Pakistan Hajj Mission has established two full-fledged hospitals, one each in Makkah and Madinah. There, he said, doctors and paramedic staff perform duties round the clock. 

“A total of 66 doctors and paramedics have been deployed at the hospitals, where medical checkups are conducted and medicines are being provided free of cost,” he said. 

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and requires every adult Muslim to undertake the journey to the holy Islamic sites in Makkah at least once in their lifetime if they are financially and physically able.

Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims this year, according to the Pakistani religious affairs ministry. Of them, 63,805 pilgrims will be performing the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest would be accommodated by private tour operators.

This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14 till June 19.