Pakistani Hajj organisers struggle to secure places for pilgrims in Mina, Arafat

With the Hajj season just around the corner, Pakistani organisers are facing severe issues in securing accommodation for pilgrims at the sacred places, Mina and Arafat, in the holy city of Makkah.

The Islamic lunar calendar ends with Zil Hajj, the month when Muslims from around the world visit Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj in Makkah's Grand Mosque and other locations in the city including Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah.

According to the details, the Saudi authorities have yet to confirm the availability of spaces in the designated zones, leaving Pakistani organisers and pilgrims in a state of limbo. 

"We're just weeks away from the Hajj, and yet we haven't been able to secure a single spot for our pilgrims in Mina and Arafat," said Muhammad Nadeem Sharif, the former chairman of the Travel Agents Association of Pakistan, in an interview with a private news channel.

"Saudi tour companies claim to be awaiting confirmation of availability from the Saudi authorities. But in the event of unavailability, they will have no option but to return the funds received from Pakistani Hajj organizers, creating an extraordinary crisis for us and the pilgrims," the publication said quoting Nadeem as saying.

Sharif appealed to the Pakistani government to intervene urgently, saying, "This is a matter of great spiritual importance. We need the government to step in and resolve this issue with the Saudi authorities."

He also urged Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain to take notice of the matter urgently and hold talks with Saudi Arabia's Minister of Hajj Tawfiq bin Fawzan on this matter.

"We're talking about thousands of pilgrims who have saved their entire lives for this journey," said another organiser. 

"If we can't secure accommodation, their [pigrims] dreams will be shattered," he added.