Four hundred seventy-six Hajj assistants, called “Moavineen,” have arrived in Saudi Arabia to aid pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah before the annual Hajj pilgrimage, according to a Pakistan Hajj Mission official on Wednesday.
Each year, Pakistan selects numerous doctors and assistants to support pilgrims during Hajj in Saudi Arabia. These assistants provide guidance on the pilgrimage, information about the holy sites in Makkah and Madinah, as well as logistical and medical support if needed.
This year, 550 volunteers were selected to assist pilgrims. For the first time, candidates had to pass the National Testing Service (NTS) exam to qualify.
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“Five hundred and fifty support staff have been chosen this year through the third-party NTS after written and physical tests,” said Abdul Wahab Soomro, Pakistan’s director-general of Hajj.
“So far, 476 support staff have arrived in Saudi Arabia. Out of these, 457 are working in Makkah and 19 in Madinah,” he added.
Soomro detailed that 297 people are assigned to building management, 101 to transportation, 45 to food services, seven to the mission’s control office, four to the inspection cell, two to the departure cell, and one to the lost and found cell in Makkah.
He mentioned that the deployment of assistants might change based on needs. Since May 9, over 41,000 Pakistani pilgrims have arrived in Makkah and Madinah, according to Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs. The pre-Hajj flight operation, which began in early May, is expected to continue until June 9.
Around 179,210 Pakistanis will perform Hajj this year under both government and private schemes. The Hajj pilgrimage is expected to take place from June 14-19.
