Shah met with director of the field office Osama Saqat and Mutawwif Jamal Al-Lail during the visit.
The minister commended the services offered by the government for the Haj pilgrims by undertaking vast extension projects aimed at the increased safety and comfort of pilgrims in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites. He also thanked officials of the field office for their devoted service to pilgrims.
Saqat told the minister that the activities of the office were personally supervised by Adnan Katib, chairman of the Tawafa establishment.
Meanwhile, a PIA flight carrying the first group of Pakistani pilgrims arrived at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah late Friday.
Pakistan Ambassador Muhammad Naeem Khan, Consul General of Pakistan Abdul Salik Khan, senior Saudi officials, and representatives of the consulate, PIA and the Pakistan Haj mission received the 205 pilgrims from Quetta.
The ambassador said the Haj mission has made all arrangements to ensure the pilgrims’ stay is comfortable.
The pilgrims’ accommodations in Makkah and Madinah have already been arranged, and offices and dispensaries in the two holy cities have also been set up and will be operational around the clock.
The number of Haj volunteers has doubled this year to facilitate the pilgrims, Khan said, expressing appreciation for the facilities provided by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and his government.
He urged the pilgrims to concentrate on their prayers during their stay and pray for the security and prosperity of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the Muslim Ummah.
The ambassador said a total of 180,000 pilgrims would arrive from Pakistan this year, the second largest contingent after Indonesia for this year’s pilgrimage.
The ambassador said two Pakistani airlines (PIA and Shaheen Air) and two Saudi carriers (Saudi Arabian Airlines and Nas Air) would transport the pilgrims. However, PIA will be transporting the major share of about 130,000.
He said a toll-free helpline (8006106668) has been set up in Saudi Arabia to receive the complaints of pilgrims.
