Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of a media report about government officials performing Hajj this year on government expense. A list of 200 officials/officers from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has been finalised by the government for Hajj this year. Religious Affairs Minister Mufti Abdul Shakoor will also be performing Hajj this year apart from 35 members of the minister’s office, which includes five drivers, four gunmen, one cook and 11 personal secretaries and assistants, reports Kasim Abbasi for The News.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) commenced Hajj flight operations on Monday (June 6) and1,080 pilgrims left for Hajj. Two flights left from Islamabad and one each from Lahore and Quetta.
Hajj pilgrims are also being informed about their flight schedules through the website and SMS on their mobile number.
A spokesperson of the Ministry of Religious Affairs said that at least 32,000 pilgrims will be flown to Saudi Arabia through 106 Hajj flights under the government’s Hajj scheme. He further added that 42 flights will be operated from Islamabad under the “Road to Makkah” project.
Saudi Arabia has launched the “Road to Makkah” initiative in five countries, including Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco and Bangladesh for the fourth consecutive year since its launch in 2019.
Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry in a statement said the “Road to Makkah” initiative aims to receive the pilgrims and complete their procedures from their countries with ease.
