Over 75,840 pilgrims return

More than 75,840 pilgrims have so far returned from Saudi Arabia after performing the Haj since the beginning of post-Haj flights operation on December 12 to transport 164,647 Hujjaj selected under government and private schemes.
These pilgrims were brought back to Pakistan by 176 flights from Jeddah and Madina airports, Ministry of Religious Affairs Joint Secretary (Haj) Muhammad Jamil told newsmen here on Monday. Expressing complete satisfaction over the smooth conduct of post-Haj operation, he said as many as 436 flights would be operating between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to bring back the pilgrims.
"Overall it is a success story and all pilgrims will be airlifted in accordance with the scheduled post-Haj operation," he added. Besides, he said, out of 978 seasonal staff, medical mission, Khuddam-ul-Hujjaj and local Khuddam deployed at Jeddah, Makkah and Madina to facilitate pilgrims, 504 had so far reached Pakistan after performing their Haj duties.
About complaints of Hujjaj in Saudi Arabia, Muhammad Jamil said there were 999 minor complaints by Hujjaj, which had been properly addressed, adding, "redressal of 100 per cent complaints is a big achievement." Commenting on medical facilities to Pakistani pilgrims in Saudi Arabia, he said hospital and dispensaries, equipped with paramedical staff including specialist doctors had been set up in Makkah where provision of medicines was ensured.
He said the main medical mission was located at Pakistan House, near Haram, with a capacity of 30 beds. He said the medical mission attended 2,71,123 Pakistani pilgrims, who visited twice or thrice, out of those 396 were hospitalised in the mission hospital, while 317 were referred to the Saudi hospitals, adding 544 were discharged after the medical treatment.
In reply to a question, he said according to information received from Makkah as many as 173 Pakistani pilgrims, who died due to natural causes had been laid to rest. Intending pilgrims were also given literatures about the Haj rituals so that they could perform Manasik-e-Haj in an appropriate manner, he added.