Director General of Hajj Dr Sajid Yousaf in Jeddah said on Sunday that this year 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims will perform Hajj. The government scheme hajj includes 107,526 hujjaj, while the rest would perform hajj through private hajj operators, said a press release. In order to provide greater opportunities to the people who have not performed this sacred duty, Government of Pakistan has announced that the person who has performed hajj in last seven years will not be eligible to Hajj-2017.
He said that the hajj mission has made best possible arrangements with maximum facilitation of hujjaj. Previously the hajis used to get delayed at the airport due to the procedures of luggage clearance. This year, the hajj mission has made special arrangements in collaboration with Maktab Al Wokala, for express clearance of the hujjaj luggage at the Jeddah and Madina airports so that they reach their destination in time. In order to provide better transportation services, companies having modern buses have been hired for Hajis to make their journey safe and comfortable. In Madina, all the accommodation hired is in Markazia, which makes the Masjid-e-Nabawi within walking distance for all the hujjaj. In Makkah the accommodation has been hired in Aziziya and BthaQuraish, within the rates of accommodation approved by the government. The transport will be available at the buildings, round the clock, to facilitate the hajis to go to Haram.
The hajj mission has hired a number of kitchens in Makkah and Madina for provision of three time meals daily to the hajis. The meals will be available to the Hajis in their building as well as at Arafat, Mina and Muzdalifah. The staff of the kitchen will bring the food to the buildings where proper dining areas have been arranged. This year special efforts have been made to provide Pakistani food to hajis and the kitchen owners have been advised to hire Pakistani chefs for this purpose.