Pakistan says emergency plan ready to bring back Hajj pilgrims if US-Iran conflict escalates
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has prepared contingency arrangements for the safe return of its Hajj pilgrims in case fighting between Iran and the United States resumes and disrupts regional air travel, the country’s religious affairs minister said on Tuesday.
The conflict between Washington and Tehran, which began on Feb. 28 and has remained paused under a ceasefire since April 8, disrupted flights across parts of the Middle East and raised fears over shipping and energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil transit route.
Pakistan is among the world’s largest contributors of Hajj pilgrims, sending tens of thousands of Muslims to Saudi Arabia each year under both government-run and private schemes. This year, more than 179,000 Pakistanis are expected to perform the pilgrimage, with over 60,000 already in the Kingdom.
“First of all, we pray to Allah Almighty to keep the region peaceful. However, if, God forbid, any unfortunate situation arises, we already have a contingency plan ready,” Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf told Arab News in an interview, adding the plan had been prepared in coordination with Saudi authorities.
