The Pakistan Hajj Mission has received approximately 28,743 intending Pakistani Hujjaj in Madinah by Tuesday, who arrived through 120 flights operated by different airlines from major cities of Pakistan to perform their religious obligation under the government scheme. Additionally, more than 1,000 intending pilgrims have reached Makkah under the private Hajj scheme. Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah, is the fifth pillar and the most significant manifestation of Islamic faith and unity in the world. Hajj pilgrims from across the world are converging in Makkah for a five-day communion with Allah Almighty to seek forgiveness for their sins and invoke His blessings, starting from the 8th of Zilhajj. This year, around 2.5 million faithful from across the world, including 179,210 from Pakistan, will perform the religious obligation of Hajj. This year’s pilgrimage is expected to take place from June 14-19. The direct flight operation from major airports of Pakistan to the city of the Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) will continue until May 24. A total of 34,316 Pakistanis will reach Madinah by May 24 through 146 flights. The spokesman for the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Muhammad Umer Butt, told APP that the ‘advanced caravans’ of Pakistani pilgrims who completed their eight-day stay in the city of the Prophet (PBUH), offering 40 prayers in Masjid-e-Nabvi (SAW), are arriving in Makkah on a daily basis. The caravans are being dispatched in line with the sequence of their arrival dates in Madinah, under the single route Hajj. Elaborating on the single-route system, he said, adding all Pakistani Hujjaj who arrived in Madinah will go to Makkah to perform the religious obligation of Hajj and then return to Pakistan from Jeddah. The same course will be adopted for those arriving in Makkah for Hajj, following which they will visit Madinah before returning to their home countries. From May 24 to June 9, as many as 114 flights are scheduled to airlift 34,422 Pakistanis from major cities to Jeddah.