ISLAMABAD   -    Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Senator Muham­mad Talha Mahmood on Monday said despite difficulties, efforts were afoot to provide maximum facilities to pilgrims during Hajj 2023.

Talking to the media in Makkah, the minister said due to time constraints, he had made an emergency visit to Sau­di Arabia in order to give a final shape to the Hajj arrangements for pilgrims. He said he was holding meetings with quarters concerned for the provision of the best possible facilities to the Pakistan pilgrims in Mnina, Arafat and Muzdalifah. He stressed the importance of providing adequate arrangements for pilgrims’ residence, food, transport, and medical needs during their holy journey in Makkah and Madina. Sena­tor Talha shared that the proposal of hiring services of Pakistani expatriates in Saudi Arabia who were acquainted with the local rules and regulations, ar­eas and language were under consider­ation. He believed that this step would enable the pilgrims to be entertained in a more appropriate manner and would help reduce the overall expenses, stat­ing that bringing Moavineen-e-Hujjaj from Pakistan would be a costly deci­sion. He said inflation and the depre­ciation of the Pakistan rupee were the main factors affecting the overall cost of Hajj operation this year adding that he would bring all the matters and his efforts to the notice of the federal cabi­net and media on his return to Pakistan. Later, Senator Talha travelled to Madina where he paid homage at the mauso­leum of the Holy Prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him. He also offered Nawafil in Riaz-ul-Jannah, Masjid-e- Nabvi and prayed for the peace, prog­ress and prosperity of Pakistan.