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Arab News
5 days ago
- General
- Arab News
Pakistan concludes pre-Hajj flight operation with over 115,000 pilgrims flown to Saudi Arabia
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has successfully concluded its 33-day pre-Hajj flight operation, with more than 115,000 pilgrims transported to Saudi Arabia ahead of this year's pilgrimage, the state media reported on Saturday. The country arranges special Hajj flights annually to facilitate thousands of Pakistani Muslims traveling to the Kingdom for the pilgrimage. The operation involves both government and private schemes, as well as coordination with multiple airlines to ensure smooth transit. The final flight, PK-759 from Karachi, carrying 307 pilgrims, landed in Jeddah at 6:55 PM local time, the state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency said. 'Under the Government Hajj Scheme, as many as 88,260 intending pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia via 342 flights from various cities of Pakistan,' APP quoted the religious affairs ministry spokesperson, Muhammad Umar Butt, as saying. 'Similarly, over 27,000 [pilgrims] arrived in the holy land under the Private Hajj Scheme,' he added. The Hajj flights were operated by a range of air carriers including Pakistan International Airlines, Saudi Airlines, SereneAir, Airblue and AirSial. The spokesperson said to support the pilgrims during the five key days of Hajj, the ministry has deployed approximately 470 coordinators, with each assigned to a group of 188 to 200 pilgrims. Each coordinator will remain with their designated group throughout the pilgrimage, helping its members during the journey from Mina to Arafat, Muzdalifah, Jamarat and back to Makkah. This year, Hajj rituals will commence on June 4, with the Day of Arafah on June 5, and Eid Al-Adha observed on June 6 in Saudi Arabia.
Gulf Today
26-05-2025
- Gulf Today
'No Hajj Without a Permit:' Saudi employs drones to curb unauthorised pilgrims
Gulf Today Report Saudi authorities are employing innovative technologies particularly drones for surveillance to prevent the infiltration of unauthorised pilgrims into Makkah during Hajj this year. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is employing state-of-the-art technologies to boost its efforts in identifying illegal pilgrims ahead of the Hajj, foreign media reported. Saudi officials welcome a pilgrim upon his arrival at Jeddah Airport. SPA The General Directorate of Public Security of Saudi Arabia has also released a video showcasing a drone equipped with a high-resolution camera monitoring violators and vehicles attempting to transport unauthorized pilgrims without the mandatory official permits, commonly known as the Nusuk Card, the foreign media further said. As part of the high-profile campaign 'No Hajj Without a Permit,' Saudi security authorities are conducting a rigorous crackdown on illegal pilgrims and against their facilitators. The released footage shows a drone identifying a suspicious vehicle in the desert, suspected of carrying undocumented pilgrims. The drone relayed the vehicle's coordinates to security patrols, who promptly apprehended the violators. Meanwhile, spokesperson for Pakistan's Religious Ministry Muhammad Umar Butt while praising Saudi authorities' this initiative said, 'Saudi Arabia's commitment to modernising the pilgrimage experience through innovative technology demonstrates their dedication to ensuring pilgrims' comfort and convenience.'
Business Recorder
10-05-2025
- Business Recorder
Hajj flight operations resume, says religious affairs ministry
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony on Saturday confirmed full restoration of Pakistan's airspace for all types of flights, enabling the resumption of Hajj operations according to schedule. In an exclusive talk with APP, the Ministry's spokesperson Muhammad Umar Butt informed that all Hajj flights will now depart for Saudi Arabia as per their original itinerary, following the temporary suspension of flight operations due to recent security concerns. 'Due to intermittent flight suspensions, a total of 10 Hajj flights were cancelled,' the spokesperson stated. These included three flights from Lahore, two from Islamabad, and one each from Karachi and Multan, he added. As a result of these cancellations, he said 2,290 pilgrims were affected; however, 1,277 pilgrims have already been accommodated and dispatched via special flights. Umar Butt said efforts are currently underway to ensure that the remaining 1,013 pilgrims are also flown to Saudi Arabia at the earliest through additional special flight arrangements. He said that a total of 19,669 Pakistani pilgrims have successfully arrived in Saudi Arabia so far under the Hajj Operation 2025. The spokesperson advised all pilgrims to remain in contact with their respective Haji Camps for the latest updates and flight information.
Arab News
08-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan advises Hajj pilgrims to verify approved private operators before bookings
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Ministry of Religious Affairs has advised all pilgrims performing Hajj through private tour operators to verify the authenticity and quota approval of a particular company before making bookings and payments, state-run APP news agency said on Thursday. The total quota granted to Pakistan for Hajj 2025 was 179,210, which is usually divided equally between the government and the private schemes. This year, however, the private Hajj quota has been significantly reduced, impacting over 67,000 pilgrims. Private operators were allotted 89,801 slots initially, but the final number was reduced to around 23,620 last month due to non-compliance of the private sector with Saudi booking regulations and deadlines. In a report published by the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) on Thursday, Religious Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Muhammad Umar Butt issued guidelines for Hajj pilgrims, including verifying the authenticity and quota approval of private tour operators before making payments, visiting the ministry's official website to confirm registration and avoiding reliance on unverified advertisements or information. 'The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has advised all prospective pilgrims intending to perform Hajj under the private Hajj scheme to exercise utmost caution when booking packages through private tour operators (Munazzameen),' APP said. 'The advisory comes after some private organizers failed to pay dues ... within the timeline set by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah,' because of which they did not get permission to serve as Hajj operators. Butt added that Hajj operators should not book pilgrims beyond their approved quotas. While a precise number of worldwide pilgrims for Hajj 2025 is difficult to determine in advance, projections suggest it will be a record-breaking year, with over 2.5 million Muslims performing the pilgrimage.
Express Tribune
08-05-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
Ministry launches 24/7 hajj helpline for flight information
Listen to article The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has launched a 24/7 helpline to provide Hajj pilgrims with up-to-date flight information. The helpline, reachable at 051-9216980, will offer real-time updates and travel support to pilgrims. According to ministry spokesperson Muhammad Umar Butt, the service will be available around the clock, divided into two shifts for uninterrupted assistance. The helpline, operating under the supervision of Director IT Jameel-ur-Rehman. Hafiz Majid will oversee the first shift and can be contacted directly at +92-332-4509868, Meanwhile Assistant Director Malik Asad will manage the second shift, with a contact number of +92-321-5365023. Pilgrims are also advised to maintain regular contact with their assigned Haji camps for further coordination and assistance during their journey.
