Several hours after the first Hajj aircraft departed Pakistan for Saudi Arabia, the first group of Pakistani pilgrims doing the Hajj landed in the holy city of Madinah on Sunday, according to the Pakistani Ministry of religious affairs.
This year, Saudi Arabia has removed the 65-year-old age restriction and restored Pakistan’s pre-pandemic Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims. According to the authorities, some 80,000 Pakistani pilgrims are anticipated to perform the Hajj this year via the government’s program, with the remainder being assisted by private tour operators.
The first group of Pakistani pilgrims arrived at the accommodations set out for them in the holy city of Madinah, where they would remain for around a week, and were greeted by members of the Pakistani Hajj mission and Saudi officials.
Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry issued a statement stating that “Pakistani pilgrims depart for Makkah after spending eight days in Madinah.”
Adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable must do the Hajj, a required religious rite that entails traveling to Makkah and Madinah at least once during their lifetime during the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar, known as Dhu Al-Hijjah.
The best arrangements, including those for food, had been made for the Pakistani pilgrims, according to Zia-ur-Rehman, Pakistan’s Hajj director in Madina.
He advised the Pakistani pilgrims to follow Saudi laws
Three Hajj flights carrying more than 700 pilgrims made their way to Saudi Arabia earlier on Sunday, marking the official launch of the South Asian nation’s Hajj flight program.
On Sunday night, around 9:15 p.m. Pakistan time, a second Hajj flight will take off from Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
According to the Pakistani religious affairs ministry, the final flight transporting pilgrims from Pakistan would depart for Saudi Arabia on June 21.
