Latest news with #MinistryOfReligiousAffairs
Arab News
4 days ago
- General
- Arab News
Pakistan secures Hajj facilities upgrade through deal with Saudi Al-Rajhi company
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has finalized arrangements for its Hajj pilgrims in coordination with Saudi Arabia's Al-Rajhi company, upgrading tents and amenities at key pilgrimage sites under a new agreement aimed at improving services for those traveling under the Government Hajj Scheme, an official confirmed Thursday. The deal with Al-Rajhi, a licensed Tawafa company responsible for assisting foreign pilgrims in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah, marks a significant step in elevating standards traditionally reserved for private tour groups. The move comes as Pakistan seeks to improve the experience for nearly 89,000 pilgrims performing Hajj this year under the state-run scheme. In total, 114,698 Pakistanis are expected to perform Hajj beginning June 4, including 25,698 under private operators. As of Thursday, 84,638 government-sponsored pilgrims had arrived in Saudi Arabia on 329 flights, while 17,959 private pilgrims had also reached the kingdom. Pre-Hajj flight operations are scheduled to conclude on May 31. 'An agreement was signed with the Tawafa company Al-Rajhi for Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah, and all arrangements and facilities at the sacred sites are being finalized for this year's Hajj,' Muhammad Umer Butt, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Religious Affairs, told Arab News from Makkah over the phone. He said pilgrims under the Government Hajj Scheme will now benefit from upgraded camp infrastructure. 'Air conditioners and extra fans have been added to the tents along with air coolers,' he informed, adding that modern sofa-cum-beds with partitions on both sides have been introduced to prevent the spread of infections caused by breathing or sweating. Additional improvements include luggage racks, sliding doors in place of traditional tarpaulin sheets, gypsum board tent walls, artificial grass carpeting in corridors, protective sunshades, fans along walkways and designated shoe racks. For the first time, Pakistani medical teams will be stationed at each camp to provide support in addition to Saudi medical services. 'A first aid team will be added to every camp, where doctors and medical staff will be available at all times,' Butt said. He said Pakistan's Hajj mission had also worked closely with Saudi authorities and the Maktab system to implement a transport strategy across the sacred sites, or Mashair, to ensure smooth movement of pilgrims. 'Saudi authorities have issued special instructions to protect pilgrims from the extreme weather conditions, and our mission ensures that these instructions are communicated clearly and understandably to all Pakistani pilgrims,' he added. A dedicated complaint management cell has been set up to address pilgrims' concerns in real time. 'A total of 2,241 complaints were received regarding lost luggage, out of which 2,209 were resolved with the luggage delivered to the concerned pilgrims,' Butt said. 'In Madinah, 636 bags were misplaced during handling, of which 630 were recovered and returned,' he continued. He said that around two dozen pilgrims who had gone missing from their groups in Makkah and Madinah were also successfully located and reunited. More than 39,000 Pakistani pilgrims completed their visit to Riyad al-Jannah — the sacred area in Masjid al-Nabawi believed to be a garden from Paradise — mostly using the official Nusuk app in Madinah. For those unfamiliar with the digital system, special permits were arranged for 14,000 individuals. Butt praised Saudi Arabia's digital Hajj infrastructure and logistical planning, which he said had greatly eased the pilgrimage experience for visitors from around the world.
Arab News
7 days ago
- General
- Arab News
Pakistan's moon sighting committee to meet today to determine Eid Al-Adha dates
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's moon sighting committee will meet in Islamabad today, Tuesday, to observe the crescent marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah and announce the dates for the Eid Al-Adha festival, the ministry of religious affairs said. Dhul Hijjah is the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar, a sacred month during which the Hajj pilgrimage and Eid Al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, take place. It is considered one of the four holy months in the Islamic calendar, with its first ten days particularly revered and considered the best days of the year for performing righteous deeds. Commemorating the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son on God's command, Muslims mark the Eid Al-Adha holiday by slaughtering animals such as sheep, cows and goats. The meat is shared among family and friends and also donated to the poor. Eid Al-Adha is observed on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah. 'The meeting of Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee for sighting the moon of Dhul Hijjah 1446 AH will be held in the evening of Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at Islamabad,' the ministry of religious affairs said in a notification. Meetings of the zonal and district committees would also be held at their respective headquarters in parallel, it added. The chairman of Pakistan's moon sighting committee would subsequently announce a decision on the date for Eid Al-Adha based on testimonies received from different corners of the country about the sighting of the new crescent. Eid Al-Adha is expected to fall on June 7 this year while the annual Hajj pilgrimage will commence on June 4.
Arab News
23-05-2025
- Arab News
Indonesian pilgrims embark on Hajj journey under Makkah Route expansion
JAKARTA: More than 120,000 Indonesian pilgrims are benefiting from the Makkah Route initiative this year, as they embark on Hajj after the flagship Saudi program was expanded to three cities across the country. Indonesia, the world's biggest Muslim-majority nation, sends the largest Hajj contingent of pilgrims every year to perform the spiritual journey that is one of the five pillars of Islam. In 2025, Saudi Arabia granted Indonesia a quota of 221,000 pilgrims. With the Hajj expected to take place on June 4 and end on June 9, special pilgrimage flights from Indonesia started on May 2. Over half of the pilgrims are departing under the pre-travel program, which was launched by the Kingdom in 2019 to help pilgrims meet all the visa, customs and health requirements at their airport of origin and save them long hours of waiting before and upon arrival in the Kingdom. 'In Indonesia, Makkah Route is implemented in three airports, Soekarno-Hatta in Jakarta, and then in the cities of Solo and Surabaya,' Mohammed Zain, director of domestic Hajj services at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, told Arab News. The initiative was only expanded in 2024 to reach more Indonesian pilgrims in different parts of the country. This year, a total of 122,156 Indonesian pilgrims, who are departing from the three selected cities, are benefiting from the program. 'This is very helpful in sorting all of the pilgrims' document requirements, like visa and passport, so that when the pilgrims reach Saudi Arabia, they simply head to their buses and go on their spiritual journey safely and comfortably,' Zain said. 'We hope that for Hajj next year, the Makkah Route initiative will be further expanded in Indonesia, so that we can offer more high-quality Hajj service.' In Jakarta, the program is implemented at the new Hajj and Umrah terminal in Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, which was inaugurated by President Prabowo Subianto earlier this month. Over 125,000 pilgrims have arrived in the Kingdom as of Tuesday. Indonesia is among seven Muslim-majority countries — including Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Morocco, Turkiye and Cote d'Ivoire — where Saudi Arabia is operating its Makkah Route initiative.
Arab News
21-05-2025
- Arab News
Saudi hospitality reaches Dhaka as immigration officers assist Hajj pilgrims
DHAKA: Bangladeshi pilgrims are enjoying the care and attention of dozens of Saudi officers who under the Makkah Route initiative are working around the clock at Dhaka's main airport to ensure smooth immigration for Hajj. About 87,000 Bangladeshi pilgrims are expected to perform the spiritual journey that is one of the five pillars of Islam. This year, the Hajj is expected to start on June 4 and end on June 9. Most of the pilgrims are departing under the flagship pre-travel program, which the Kingdom launched in 2019 to help pilgrims meet all the visa, customs and health requirements at their airport of origin and save them long hours of waiting before and on arrival in the Kingdom. 'It's a very pleasant experience for the pilgrims as they receive the heartiest welcome by the Saudi immigration officials,' Lokman Hossain, director of the Hajj Office at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, told Arab News on Wednesday. 'The immigration officials here serve the pilgrims very gently and always with a welcoming smile. It's something that they can anticipate as the Kingdom's hospitality for Hajj pilgrims … This is something extraordinary, and offers the pilgrims a comfort in their journey to the holy places.' Bangladesh is among seven Muslim-majority countries — including Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco, Turkiye and Cote d'Ivoire — where Saudi Arabia is operating its Makkah Route initiative. 'The moment pilgrims enter into the airport, their Saudi immigration formalities are taken care of by the immigration staffers stationed here temporarily by the Kingdom's authorities,' Hossain said. 'There is no need to wait in any queues. Saudi immigration officials are offering instant services to our pilgrims with more than a dozen service counters. Women immigration staffers are also deployed here, which brings ease for our women pilgrims also.' The moment they enter the Makkah Route facilities at the airport, the pilgrims are 'treated like distinguished guests,' he added. 'Sometimes, the pilgrims receive greetings in their local language too. It creates a sense of comfort in the pilgrims' minds.' Special pilgrimage flights from Dhaka started in late April, as many pilgrims arrive early to make the most of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fulfill their religious duty. More than 51,400 Bangladeshi pilgrims have already traveled to the Kingdom as of Tuesday. 'Makkah Route initiative is a very significant and helpful offer for our pilgrims,' Hossain said. 'Our pilgrims are enjoying this facility.'
Arab News
15-05-2025
- Arab News
Pakistan offers lowest-cost Hajj package under government scheme globally, says official
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Director General Hajj Abdul Wahab Soomro said on Thursday that Islamabad is offering its citizens the lowest-cost Hajj package globally, vowing that authorities have aimed to prioritize pilgrims' comfort, safety and spiritual fulfillment for this year's pilgrimage. Pakistan this year introduced a shortened Hajj program of 20 to 25 days to make the pilgrimage more convenient and accessible, the Ministry of Religious Affairs said earlier this year. It set the cost at around Rs1,075,000 ($3,854) for the long Hajj package and Rs1,150,000 ($4,122) for the short Hajj package, as shorter stays often incur higher airfare, premium accommodation rates, and expedited transport services, which drive up overall costs. In a statement issued from Makkah, Soomro said the government's Hajj Scheme for 88,380 pilgrims is being elevated to 'unprecedented heights' to ensure a seamless and spiritually enriching pilgrimage, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. 'Highlighting the key initiatives, he [Soomro] said our scheme offers the lowest-cost Hajj package globally,' Radio Pakistan said. 'Pilgrims are now given the option to choose between single, double, or triple-bed rooms at an additional cost.' The official said that due to the non-uniform nature of Makkah's buildings, accommodations are allocated to Pakistani pilgrims based on pilgrim profiling to ensure optimal convenience. He said Pakistan's health care network, in collaboration with the Saudi German Hospital and other leading medical institutions, ensures 24/7 emergency care. 'The DG Hajj said such innovative measures and enhancements demonstrate a strong commitment to facilitating Hajj with maximum convenience at minimal cost,' the statement added. This year's Hajj will take place in June, with over 23,620 Pakistanis expected to perform the pilgrimage through private tour operators.
