Over 31,241 Pakistani pilgrims safely reach Saudi Arabia for spiritual journey

ISLAMABAD (APP) - The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony on Thursday informed that a total of 31,241 Pakistani pilgrims had safely arrived in Saudi Arabia through 53 flights as of Wednesday, May 31.

In an exclusive talk with this agency, the Ministry’s spokesperson, Muhammad Umar Butt, shared details about the ongoing pilgrimage and the measures taken to ensure the well-being of the pilgrims.

He said currently, over 27,000 Pakistani pilgrims were accommodated in Madinah, while more than 4,000 had already made their way to Makkah via modern buses. "Upon their arrival in Makkah, these pilgrims were warmly welcomed in ‘Ahram’ by the Hajj guides, signifying the beginning of their spiritual journey," he added.

He further informed that flights from Pakistan to Jeddah Airport would commence on June 5, to facilitate the smooth flow of pilgrims adding that this initiative aimed to further streamline the pilgrimage process and provide more convenience to the Pakistani pilgrims.

In a commendable effort, he said the Department of Missing and Recovery had successfully located and reunited 25 lost pilgrims with their groups. "Furthermore, they had also discovered and returned 166 bags belonging to pilgrims, while efforts were underway to find the owners of the remaining six bags," he added.