160,000 Pakistani pilgrims to perform Hajj this year — religious affairs ministry

ISLAMABAD: Around 160,000 Pakistani pilgrims will perform Hajj this year, a government official said on Wednesday, as people continue to reach Makkah ahead of the annual pilgrimage scheduled for later this month.
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, requiring every adult Muslim to undertake the pilgrimage 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 14-19. 
“160,000 Pakistani pilgrims are performing Hajj this year,” the religious affairs ministry spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday. “Nearly 90,000 Pakistani pilgrims will perform Hajj through private Hajj companies.”
The official said 55,284 pilgrims had reached Makkah via 214 flights under the government Hajj scheme while over 30,000 others were present in Saudi Arabia with private Hajj tour operators. 
The spokesperson concluded that the Hajj flight operation that began on May 9 would continue till June 9. 
Separately, the Pakistan Hajj Mission (PHM) has also been conducting regular inspections of kitchens run by catering companies to ensure hygienic food supply to pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom to perform Hajj.
On June 4, the PHM imposed 17 penalties amounting to SAR 263,580 ($71,000) on six catering companies contracted to provide meals to Pakistani pilgrims. Nine catering companies have been employed to fulfill the food demands of pilgrims. 
A 400-member dedicated Pakistan Hajj Medical Mission is also working around the clock to serve Pakistani pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan has established two hospitals and 11 dispensaries in the Saudi cities of Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah to provide health care to Hajj pilgrims.