Jeddah: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf accompanied by a high-level Pakistani delegation, attended a special session of the prestigious “Grand Hajj Symposium” held in Makkah.
The Pakistani delegation, led by Federal Minister Sardar Yousaf, included Secretary of Religious Affairs Abrar Ahmed Mirza and Director General of Hajj Abdul Wahab Soomro. The premier global academic and organizational platform drew a distinguished gathering of religious affairs ministers, heads of international Hajj missions, and key stakeholders from across the Islamic world.
Delivering the keynote address, the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, extended a warm welcome to the Guests of Allah (Guests of Ar-Rahman). He reaffirmed the Saudi government’s unwavering commitment to prioritizing the highest standards of services for pilgrims across the holy sites of Makkah Mukarramah, Madinah Munawwarah, and the Mashair (Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah). Dr. Al-Rabiah elaborately highlighted the latest Hajj arrangements, newly launched pilgrim awareness campaigns, and critical preventive measures deployed to mitigate the challenges of extreme weather conditions.
During the symposium’s various working sessions and panel discussions, senior officials from the Saudi Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Hajj and Umrah briefed the participants. The sessions extensively reviewed digital transformation initiatives aimed at optimizing pilgrim crowd management and mass mobility within the holy sites. Furthermore, attendees were briefed on enhancing structural coordination with global Hajj offices, strengthening international awareness networks, and implementing modernized operational models, including the streamlined distribution of ritual sacrificial meat.
The symposium’s agenda also features specialized strategic meetings between the heads of international Hajj affairs offices and global Hajj operators. Speakers at the concluding session emphasized that the Grand Hajj Symposium, now in its historic 50th edition, continues to institutionalize scientific research and academic insight into the core framework of pilgrim services. They concluded that these efforts mirror the Kingdom’s continuous and sincere dedication to fostering hospitality and care for pilgrims, rooted firmly in Islamic teachings. –Agencies
