Sixty Pakistanis to Travel to Saudi as Guest of King Salman

Islamabad, MINA – Sixty Pakistanis will travel to Saudi Arabia next week to perform the Hajj as guests of King Salman under a special program that sponsors their Hajj expenses.

As quoted from Arab News on Friday, the Saudi ruler last week issued a directive stating that the oil-rich country will host 1,300 pilgrims from over 90 countries this year for Hajj under the “Guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program.”

“This initiative by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs is an annual event, where individuals from various Muslim countries are invited to perform Hajj as guests of the Saudi king,” Abubakar Siddique, an official at the Saudi Embassy responsible for its Islamic Ummah affairs, told Arab News during a ceremony on Wednesday.

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“This year, a total of 60 pilgrims from Pakistan, including both men and women, are traveling to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj under this initiative,” he said, adding that it would be a completely sponsored Hajj.

Travel, accommodation and all other arrangements during Hajj will be sponsored by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, as these pilgrims are considered special guests of King Salman, he added.

Siddique said the program has been running for several years and last year 40 Pakistanis performed the Hajj as special guests of the king.

“The selection criteria for these participants are based on their significant contributions to the host country, with a majority of them being religious scholars,” he said.

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Other members included those who had served their communities and played a role in fostering Pakistan-Saudi relations.

Hafiz Zubair Hassan, a religious scholar from Lahore, thanked the Saudi king and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for granting him the opportunity to perform Hajj.

“I pray for the continued positive and constructive role played by the Saudi leadership in the betterment of the Muslim world, as they have consistently stood at the forefront whenever the Ummah has needed their support,” he said.

Hassan praised the strong relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, likening it to two hearts beating in one body.

“I believe that this enduring relationship will endure indefinitely,” Hassan added.  (T/RE1/P2)

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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)