Pakistan interior minister lauds Hajj arrangements, thanks Saudi crown prince for facilities for pilgrims
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has praised Saudi Arabia’s Hajj arrangements and thanked Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Kingdom’s Hajj ministry for facilities provided to Pakistani pilgrims during a visit to Mina camps housing worshippers from the South Asian nation, the minister’s office said on Tuesday.
This year’s Hajj is taking place during intense summer temperatures, with authorities focusing heavily on heat management, crowd control and medical services for millions of pilgrims gathered in and around the holy city of Makkah. Pakistan is among the world’s largest Hajj contingents, with around 179,000 pilgrims expected to perform Hajj this year under both government and private schemes, including more than 115,000 under the government program.
Saudi Arabia has in recent years expanded digital services, transport infrastructure and crowd-management systems to improve the pilgrimage experience and reduce risks during one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings.
During his visit to Mina, Naqvi inspected different Pakistani pilgrims’ camps and met worshippers, particularly elderly pilgrims, according to a statement issued by the interior ministry.
