68,000 intending pilgrims airlifted to Saudi Arabia
By Hina Kiyani

ISLAMABAD—About 68,000 intending pilgrims have so far been airlifted to Saudi Arabia to perform Haj-2006 since the start of pre-Haj operation on December 03.
As many as 140,000 intending pilgrims will be brought to the Holy land by 463 special Haj flights during the pre-Haj operation which would continue for a month, official sources in the Ministry of Religious Affairs said on Monday.
The Haj flights are being operated from airports of Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, Sukkur and Faisalabad. The pilgrims from Sukkur will reach Jeddah via Karachi while Hajj flights from Multan and Faisalabad airports will depart to Jeddah via Lahore, he sources said. About 90,000 intending pilgrims will be sent under the government scheme while remaining 50,000 will be brought to Saudi Arabia by the private Hajj organizers.
The buildings to accommodate 90,000 pilgrims who applied under government scheme have been arranged in Makkah and Madina. As many as 46,000 intending pilgrims have opted for green category accommodation while 44,000 will avail while category. 250 Khudam-ul-Hajaj, 250 Seasonal Staff and Medical Mission comprising 230 members have already reached in Saudi Arabia to facilitate the pilgrims.
They will be deployed at Jeddah airport, Makkah, Madina to guide and facilitate Pakistani pilgrims during Hajj, he added.
A hospital set up at Pakistan House Makkah and eight dispensaries established at various places will provide medical care to Pakistani pilgrims. All the arrangement have also been completed to ensure cleanliness, proper arrangement of sanitation, spray and availability of fire brigade at all the Hajj camps.
The intending pilgrims have been advised to report at the Hajj Camp three-day before departure of flights for vaccination and fulfilment of other required formalities.