Over 62,000 Pak pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia
Muslim pilgrims pray at the plain of Arafat during the annual Haj pilgrimage, outside the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia July 19, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS
The Pakistan Hajj Mission (PHM) has welcomed 62,148 pilgrims in Madinah and Makkah under both government and private schemes since the start of the month-long pre-Hajj flight operation on May 9, the Ministry of Religious Affairs reported on Saturday.
“So far, 46,648 pilgrims have arrived via 185 flights under the government scheme, while 15,500 have arrived under the private scheme,” said a spokesman for the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
An additional 22,090 Pakistani pilgrims are expected to arrive in Makkah over the next nine days, he added. This year, the PHM will host over 70,105 pilgrims under the government scheme and more than 80,000 under the private scheme.