Madinah welcomes over 9,844 Pakistani pilgrims by Sunday

Ministry makes extensive arrangements to extend maximum facilities to intending pilgrims

MADINAH:

More than 9,844 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims have so far arrived in Madinah under the government scheme, as part of their spiritual journey to perform their religious obligation – Hajj.

 “Since May 9, different airlines operated almost 40 flights from major cities of Pakistan to transport the guests of Allah Almighty to the holy city of Madinah in the first leg of their pilgrimage,” Ministry of Religious Affairs spokesperson Muhammad Umar Butt told APP while sharing details of the arrangements made for facilitation of Pakistani pilgrims, performing the religious obligation under the government scheme.

On Sunday, he said three flights were operated each from Islamabad and Karachi, four from Lahore and one each from Multan and Sialkot, transporting 3,254 Hajj pilgrims to the holy city of Madinah.

From May 17, Pakistani pilgrims who have completed their eight-day stay in Madinah will start departing for Makkah, the final convergence destination for faithful arriving from across the world. They will travel to Makkah as “advanced caravans,” wearing Ihram and reciting Talbiyah.

Read 'Road to Makkah' project formally launched at Karachi airport

The spokesman said the ministry has made elaborate arrangements to extend maximum facilities to intending pilgrims both in Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Before the start of the pre-Hajj flight operation, the ministry held extensive training sessions for weeks to teach the intending pilgrims about the obligatory acts, necessary information to make their pilgrimage hassle-free, facilities including assistance at airports, transport to residential buildings, three-time meals, and medical healthcare.

 Answering a question about arrangements for providing health cover to the pilgrims, he said the ministry, under a dedicated Pakistan Hajj Mission, has established two full-fledged hospitals, one each in Madinah and Makkah, where doctors and paramedical staff perform duties round the clock in shifts.
A total of 66 doctors and paramedics have been deployed at the hospitals, where medical checkups are conducted and medicines are being provided free of cost.

In case of critical condition, the patient is referred to Saudi hospitals where they are provided with all kinds of treatment and even surgeries free of cost, in addition to making arrangements to complete their obligatory Hajj acts through different means, including air ambulance.