Over 128,500 Pakistani pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia under the government and private hajj schemes, Pakistan Hajj Mission said on Sunday. The number of pilgrims who have reached under the government scheme is 84, 799 and the private scheme 43, 732, it said, adding that flight operations will continue till August 26.
The religious affairs ministry has made elaborate arrangements to address the complaints of hujjaj on different matters, including those relating to baggage and food.
Hajj Director General Sajid Yousfani said that currently a staff of over two thousand officials has been engaged in different cells for the service of pilgrims. Giving details about the medical mission, he said about forty-nine thousand people have benefitted from the OPD service so far while the tally of total admissions in the main hospital stands at thirty-four.
As the number of hujjaj is higher this year; therefore, a shuttle service has been provided in each sector, where Pakistani pilgrims are residing so that any patient could be shifted to the central hospital in case of emergency. Nine dispensaries have also been set up in each sector. Each dispensary has a lady doctor in order to provide timely medical care to the female pilgrims. He said serious patients are shifted to Saudi hospitals where a Pakistani translator is always available for their assistance.
When asked about the complaints of pilgrims, Sajid Yousfani said a complaint management system has been put in place to register and redress the complaints of the pilgrims. A twenty-four-hour call centre has been set up with toll number being available with the pilgrims.
He said a complaint register has also been placed in each building or the pilgrims can lodge their complaint on the website of the ministry. He said the complaints are referred by the computer system to the relevant cell for immediate redressal.
The DG Hajj said that he will pay surprise visits to check the quality of services being provided to the pilgrims. In addition, monitoring teams have been constituted both in Makkah and Madina to oversee the facilities being provided to pilgrims.