Speaking at a post-Hajj press conference in Mecca, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf offered congratulations to the Pakistani pilgrims on completing Hajj and stated that under the leadership and special attention of Prime Minister Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif, the pilgrims’ journey was spiritually fulfilling. He expressed gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for their cooperation in Hajj arrangements.
Sardar Muhammad Yousaf mentioned that the Saudi government hosted more than 115,000 Pakistani pilgrims, including 88,300 government-sponsored Pakistani pilgrims, with historic hospitality.
He highlighted that Pakistan’s Hajj mission received the Excellence Award from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for outstanding arrangements and secured the top position among seven missions receiving the award.
For the first time, extraordinary facilities were provided for pilgrims’ accommodation during Mashair days, including air-conditioned tents in Mina, gypsum board partitions, sofas, beds, and overhead shelves. Pilgrims were served three meals a day, along with two snack boxes, juices, ice cream, fresh fruits, and cold water.
Additional air conditioners were installed in the tents of Arafat, and arrangements were made for grass lawns and shaded corridors. In Masha’ar, B-category facilities were provided to pilgrims?
Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said among the pilgrims, 56% were housed in the old Mina and 44% in the new Mina. A contingency plan was devised in collaboration with PIA to ensure timely arrival of pilgrims in the Holy Lands during the flight schedule affected by the war situation.
Seventy-three percent of pilgrims traveled to Mashair via the Mashair train service, while 27% traveled by air-conditioned buses. A total of 1,140 buses participated in the "Mini Move" transportation operation, transporting 88,300 pilgrims over a 16-hour dedicated transportation service to Mina.
Sardar Muhammad Yunus stated that under the government scheme, the package cost for Pakistani pilgrims was lower than in other regional countries but with better facilities. All Pakistani pilgrims in Madinah were accommodated in three- and five-star hotels nearest to Masjid al-Nabawi. During their stay in Madinah, 100% of pilgrims were also taken for the Riyadh al-Jannah visit.
To ensure food supply, 22 catering companies in Makkah and 13 in Madinah were selected through a competitive process, with Pakistani chefs and cooks hired to provide meals according to their preferences. The "Nazim Scheme" was introduced for the first time, under which every group of 188 pilgrims was assigned a coordinator.
For medical services, 400 specialists, including doctors and paramedics, were engaged to provide medical care to the pilgrims.
Sardar Muhammad Yunus expressed gratitude to the Pakistani pilgrims for adhering to the teachings of Saudi Arabia during the rites of Hajj.
