ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s pre-Hajj flight operation is in full swing as more than 9,844 pilgrims have so far reached Madinah from different parts of the South Asian country via 40 flights, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Monday. 

Muhammad Umar Butt, a spokesperson of Pakistan’s religion ministry, told APP three flights each from Islamabad and Karachi, four from Lahore, and one each from Multan and Sialkot on Sunday transported 3,254 Hajj pilgrims to Madinah ahead of the Hajj pilgrimage. 

“Since May 9, different airlines operated almost 40 flights from major cities of Pakistan to transport the guests of Allah Almighty to the holy city of Madinah in first leg of their pilgrimage,” APP said. 

Butt said from May 17, Pakistani pilgrims who have completed their eight-day stay in Madinah will start departing for the holy city of Makkah where Muslims from across the world will start gathering for the annual pilgrimage. 

He said the ministry has taken “elaborate arrangements” to extend maximum facilities to pilgrims from both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. He said before the pre-Hajj flight operation kicked off on May 9, the religion ministry held extensive training sessions to teach Pakistani pilgrims about Hajj obligatory acts and informed them about key arrangements made by the government to ensure their pilgrimage remains hassle-free. 

Butt said the ministry, under the Pakistan Hajj Mission has established two full-fledged hospitals, one each in Makkah and Madinah. There, he said, doctors and paramedic staff perform duties round the clock. 

“A total of 66 doctors and paramedics have been deployed at the hospitals, where medical checkups are conducted and medicines are being provided free of cost,” he said. 

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and requires every adult Muslim to undertake the journey to the holy Islamic sites in Makkah at least once in their lifetime if they are financially and physically able.

Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims this year, according to the Pakistani religious affairs ministry. Of them, 63,805 pilgrims will be performing the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest would be accommodated by private tour operators.

This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14 till June 19.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan skipper Babar Azam became the most successful men’s T20I captain after his side clinched a seven-wicket victory over Ireland recently, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Monday. 

Pakistan beat Ireland on Sunday by seven wickets and more than three overs to spare, chasing the Irish team’s impressive target of 194 runs. Azam made 0 runs off four balls after he was dismissed by Graham Hume when he edged the ball straight into the hands of Lorcan Tucker but his poor performance had no effect on Pakistan. 

An impressive 140-run partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and left-arm batter Fakhar Zaman helped Pakistan to victory over Ireland. it also helped Azam to a new record. 

“It took Babar past Uganda’s Brian Masaba for the most wins by male T20I captains and in front of former skippers in the ilk of England’s Eoin Morgan, India’s MS Dhoni and Australia’s Aaron Finch,” the ICC said. 

Separately, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi congratulated Azam in Dublin after the match and presented him a jersey with the words “45 T20I wins” written on its back. Naqvi also presented fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi with a jersey for taking 300 international wickets in his career so far. The fast bowler also achieved the feat in the match against Ireland after he returned figures of 3/49. 

The three-match series stands leveled at 1-1 after Pakistan’s win. Ireland beat the 2009 T20 world champions by five wickets in an upset victory in the series opener on Friday. 

Pakistan will head to England for a four-match T20I series after the final match of the Ireland series on Tuesday. Following the England series, with matches scheduled at Headingley (22 May), Birmingham (25 May), Cardiff (28 May), and The Oval, London (30 May), both England and Pakistan will head to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. 

England will face Scotland in Barbados on June 4 in their opening match, while Pakistan will launch their campaign against the United States (US) in Dallas on June 6. Pakistan will take on arch-rivals India on June 9 in New York which is set to be one of the most anticipated clashes of the T20 World Cup.