Over 46,000 Pakistani Pilgrims Return Home From Hajj

More than 46,000 Pakistani pilgrims have returned from Saudi Arabia since August 17 after comply with their Hajj, informed the Ministry of Religious Affairs on Monday

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Aug, 2019 ) :More than 46,000 Pakistani pilgrims have returned from Saudi Arabia since August 17 after comply with their Hajj, informed the Ministry of Religious Affairs on Monday.

"The returnees include 27,000 from the government quota and 19,000 who were using services offered by private tour and Hajj operators," said Imran Siddiqui, spokesman of Ministry of Religious Affairs, adding that 74,000 others are still in Makkah.

Siddiqui added that special flights which began on August 17 to bring the 200,000 pilgrims back will continue until September 15.

"Elaborate arrangements have been made on Pakistan's 10 airports to welcome the pilgrims on their return," said Siddiqui quoted by Arab news.

Siddiqui added that this year, major airports in the country had also stocked up on Zamzam water as part of an initiative by the Kingdom to distribute among pilgrims upon their arrival home.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony lauded the Kingdom's arrangements and hospitality extended to pilgrims during Hajj this year.

For the first time this year, a pre-immigration pilot program was launched at the Islamabad International Airport as part of Saudi Arabia's Road to Makkah project.

The initiative was aimed at facilitating Hajj pilgrims by way of a faster immigration process which helped them save up to 10 hours of waiting time on their arrival in Saudi Arabia.