31,057 Pakistani Hajj Pilgrims reach Saudi Arabia
RIYADH (INP): The arrival of Pakistani pilgrims in the holy land of Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj 2024 rituals, is continuing.
According to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, said that so far, 31,057 intending pilgrims have arrived in Madinah Munawwarah through 126 flights under the government scheme.
Besides, more than 2,000 pilgrims have reached Makkah Mukarramah under the private Hajj 2024 scheme.
From the airport, the passengers were transported to residential buildings located in Markazia, just a 15-20 minute walk from Masjid e Nabvi and Roza-e-Rasool (SAW), via luxurious buses.
Furthermore, the direct flights from Pakistan to Jeddah will commence from May 24 (tomorrow).
“Through 126 Hajj flights, 31,057 government-sponsored pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia,” the ministry said in its statement. “Today, an additional 2,450 pilgrims will reach Madinah through 12 flights. More than 2,000 pilgrims under the private scheme have also arrived in the kingdom.”
The statement also informed the ministry had engaged 156 people to provide medical facilities pilgrims while 336 were responsible for arranging transport, accommodation and food.
It added the officials in the main control office in Makkah were also providing guidance and assistance to the pilgrims through the Pakistan Hajj cellphone app.
Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims, of which 63,805 people will perform the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest will benefit from private tour operators.
This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14 till June 19.
Hajj is a sacred pilgrimage and is one of the fifth pillars of Islam. Each year, millions of Muslims worldwide travel to and perform Hajj in Makkah, modern-day Saudi Arabia.
It takes place during the same time each year, in the sacred month of Dhul Hijjah – the twelfth month in the Islamic Calendar. Hajj begins on the 8th of Dhul Hijjah and lasts approximately five to six days depending on the sighting of the moon.
When the new crescent moon is sighted, Muslims around the world welcome in the four-day festival of Eidul Adha.
