Muhammad Naeem Khan, the Pakistani Ambassador, receives the first batch of pilgrims from Pakistan Friday. — Courtesy photo 180,000 pilgrims from Pakistan this year JEDDAH — The first batch of pilgrims, 205 in number, from Pakistan arrived here Friday. They were received by Muhammad Naeem Khan, the Pakistani Ambassador, and Abdul Salik Khan, Consul General of Pakistan, along with other Pakistani and local Haj officials. The Ambassador said that offices and dispensaries for pilgrims will be operational round-the-clock in Makkah and Madina. He said the number of people who will serve pilgrims has been doubled this year. A toll-free helpline – 8006106668 – has also been set up to address the complaints of Pakistani pilgrims, and more than 1,000 mobile SIM cards – to make free group communication possible – have been distributed among welfare staff, Khan said. Female pilgrims are required to wear abayas which have the Pakistani flag on them, he said. The pilgrims arrived by Pakistan International Airlines, which this year will operate the majority of Haj flights from Pakistan. A total of 180,000 Pakistani pilgrims will be coming for Haj this year, Khan added.
