ISLAMABAD (The Thursday Times) — Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has honoured Pakistan’s Hajj mission for its services to pilgrims, making Pakistan one of only four countries recognised on stage at the close of the 6th Hajj Conference and Expo in Jeddah, the government said on Wednesday.
The other three countries honoured were Türkiye, Malaysia, and Iraq. Delegations from about 150 countries attended the closing ceremony.
The award was presented by Saudi Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Abdullah Fatah Al-Mashat, along with other senior officials. Muhammad Arif Aslam Rao, Pakistan’s acting Director General of Hajj, received it on behalf of the mission.
Who went to Jeddah
Pakistan’s delegation to the four-day conference was led by the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, and included the Secretary for Religious Affairs, Abrar Ahmed Mirza, and the Joint Secretary for Hajj, Syed Abdul Waheed Shah.
The Hajj mission was represented by Zahid Sohail, the Director of Hajj in Madinah, and Azizullah Khan, a deputy director of Hajj.
The Hajj mission runs the ground arrangements for Pakistan’s government-scheme pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah, including accommodation, transport, food, and medical care. Pakistan sends one of the largest national contingents to the pilgrimage each year, and preparations for Hajj 2027 are already under way.
