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- Pakistan welcomes 46,648 pilgrims under government scheme, 15,500 under private scheme
- This year 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims are expected to perform annual Islamic pilgrimage
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hajj Mission (PHM) has so far welcomed 62,148 pilgrims in the cities of Makkah and Madinah under both government and private schemes since May 9, an official of the country’s religion ministry said this week.
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, of which around 70,000 people will perform the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest will use private tour operators.
This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14 till June 19.
“So far, 46,648 pilgrims have arrived via 185 flights under the government scheme, while 15,500 have arrived under the private scheme,” Muhammad Umar Butt, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) said on Saturday.
An additional 22,090 Pakistani pilgrims are expected to arrive in Makkah over the next nine days, Butt said. This year, the PHM will host over 70,105 pilgrims under the government scheme and more than 80,000 under the private scheme.
He said the PHM is making use of two toll-free helplines and four WhatsApp numbers to address pilgrims’ complaints.
“Additionally, the spokesman said two central hospitals and a dozen dispensaries in the Haram are providing medical facilities to pilgrims, with 322 doctors and medical staff on duty,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said.
A total of 511 Hajj Moavineen or facilitators, including Pakistani civilians and uniformed personnel, are working to provide pilgrims with travel, accommodation, and food facilities.