Elaborate plans have been laid out to provide all facilities to the expected 164,745 pilgrims from Pakistan, Bahrullah Hazarwi, Director of Pakistan Haj Mission in Jeddah, said here Thursday. Out of the 164,745 pilgrims, 75,758 will come here through different private tour operators and the rest through government agencies. The number of pilgrims who will land at Jeddah airport is 144,745 and the rest will land at Madina airport through 380 direct flights by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). As per the agreement around 9,000 pilgrims will fly with Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAA), Hazarwi said. The first flight of Pakistan pilgrims landed at Jeddah airport on Nov. 2. The Pakistan Haj Mission has engaged 302 buildings to accommodate the pilgrims in Makkah. Each building will have two security guards from the Pakistan Haj Mission. All these buildings are classified under one category. The pilgrims have been identified by their names which have been fed into a master computer. Each pilgrim has been given a spacious place as standarized by the Ministry of Haj. The Pakistan Haj Mission has set up an information center with computerized information about the pilgrims by name and their lodging places. The mission has appointed 250 locals to serve the pilgrims. This staff will be boosted by about 230 army personnel accompanying the pilgrims from Pakistan, Hazarwi said. He said to provide the utmost comfort to the Pakistani pilgrims, they will be staying in eight zones. Each zone has a clinic to be manned by paramedical staff including specialist doctors. The main medical mission will be located at Pakistan House, near Haram, with a capacity of 30 beds. Severe and accidental cases will be transferred to Noor Specialist Hospital. The mission has appointed 53 bilingual speakers of Arabic and Urdu at Jeddah and Madina airports to help the pilgrims. They will work in shifts round-the-clock to attend all the flights coming from Pakistan. Hazarwi said, like last year, the pilgrims will go in groups to stone the Jamarat in Mina at different times to avoid overcrowding and any possibility of accident. – SG __
