ISLAMABAD: More than 20,000 Pakistani pilgrims under the government scheme have arrived in Madinah since the pre-Hajj flight operations began, the religious affairs ministry said on Tuesday, urging Pakistani nationals to obey Saudi laws in the country.
Pakistan kicked off its pre-Hajj flight operations on Apr. 18 and since then has sent several flights to the Kingdom ahead of the annual Islamic pilgrimage. Pakistan is expected to send 179,210 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Hajj in 2026 under its official quota, one of the largest in the world, with pilgrims traveling under both government and private schemes.
The Hajj operation involves complex coordination of transport, accommodation and logistics as pilgrims move between key religious sites. The first group of Pakistani Hajj pilgrims arrived in Makkah on Monday after completing their stay in Madinah.
Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf chaired a meeting on Tuesday to review Hajj arrangements, during which he directed authorities to ensure measures were in place to provide comfort to pilgrims.
“According to a briefing by the Director of Madinah, more than 20,000 pilgrims under the government scheme had arrived in Madinah by Tuesday, April 28,” the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) said in a statement on Tuesday.
“So far, 11,000 pilgrims under the government scheme have been facilitated to visit Riyaz-ul-Jannah.”
Riyaz-ul-Jannah is a small area between the pulpit (minbar) and the grave of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. Pakistani pilgrims began visiting the sacred place on Apr. 22.
Pakistani Hajj pilgrims will continue their phased movement to Makkah from Madinah in the coming days as the country’s Hajj operation gathers pace.
MoRA said all Pakistani pilgrims have been issued Nusuk cards.
Nusuk is an identification card for the pilgrim that enables them to enter all holy sites and benefit from the services provided to pilgrims to perform Hajj rituals.
Nusuk cards must be carried throughout the Hajj period from the moment pilgrims arrive and travel within the holy sites in the Kingdom until their departure.
