ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain on Friday visited the office of the National Adillah Establishment in Madinah to discuss travel arrangements for over 2,000 Pakistani pilgrims who will leave for Makkah today ahead of the Hajj pilgrimage, APP reported.
The National Adillah Establishment is the Saudi agency in charge of coordinating all pilgrim activities in Madinah, including passport collection, departure of pilgrims from Madinah to Makkah, visit to Riazul Jannah, accommodation and transport facilities. As part of the Hajj 2024 policy, there is an agreement on arrangements and requirements of Hujjaj between the National Adillah Establishment and the Office of Pilgrim’s Affairs Pakistan (OPAP).
Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims this year, of which 63,805 people will perform the pilgrimage under the government scheme while the rest will use private tour operators. This year’s Hajj is expected to run from June 14-19.
Pakistani pilgrims have been arriving in Madinah since May 9 when pre-Hajj flight operations were launched. Over 20,000 Pakistani pilgrims have so far arrived in Madinah under the government scheme. Eleven caravans carrying 2,177 Pakistani pilgrims who stayed eight days in Madinah will leave today, Friday, for Makkah after Friday prayers, Radio Pakistan reported. 
In his meeting with Adillah officials, Salik discussed Hajj-related matters “particularly the departure of ‘advanced caravans’ of Pakistani pilgrims today from Madinah to Makkah.”
“This year’s pilgrimage will be one of the best experiences, better management-wise,” Pakistan’s APP news agency quoted the CEO of Adillah, Esam Damyati, as telling Salik. 
Salik thanked Damyati for extending all possible assistance and cooperation to the Religious Affairs Ministry and Pakistan Hajj Mission in its Hajj operation. 
“Salik said the digitization of Hajj related services by the Saudi authorities had really worked in improving the Hajj arrangements,” APP said. “He appreciated the Saudi government for taking a number of innovative measures like formation of new companies, increasing number of Hajj welfare staff both male and female and use of latest technology.”
Adillah’s Head of Investment Management Ahmed Hammad said the company was keen to explore ways to enhance investment in Hajj-related matters with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Pakistan Hajj Mission.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited Chinese firm, MCC Tongsin Resources, to invest in Pakistan’s mining sector and assured it of maximum facilitation, Sharif’s office said on Friday, amid an increase in bilateral engagements with longtime ally Beijing to boost foreign investment in Pakistan.
The statement came after Sharif’s meeting with a delegation of MCC Tongsin Resources, led by Chairman Wang Jaichen, in the federal capital of Islamabad, according to a statement issued from Sharif’s office.
MCC Tongsin Resources, a research and investment company, is part of the China Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC Group), which describes itself as the world’s largest and strongest metallurgical construction contractor and operation service provider.
In his meeting with the Chinese delegates, Sharif said his government would extend all-out facilitation to the company in mining of minerals and their export from Pakistan.
“The government is taking steps on priority basis to increase foreign investment in the country,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office. “In order to increase the exports of Pakistan, investment for the extraction of minerals, their processing and export will be fully facilitated.”
The Chinese firm expressed “keen interest” in increasing its investment in the mining and mineral sector in Pakistan.
“The company gave a detailed briefing to the prime minister regarding the construction of a mineral park in Pakistan and informed about further investment plans,” Sharif’s office said.
The development comes amid an increase in bilateral engagements between Pakistan and China in recent weeks as Islamabad attempts to boost foreign investment.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who is in China since May 13, has held several meetings with Chinese business officials and entrepreneurs, and invited them to establish labor-intensive industries in Pakistan. The visit is aimed at bolstering Pakistan’s relations with China and assuring Beijing that Pakistan would enhance the security of Chinese nationals working in Pakistan.
Beijing has been one of Islamabad’s most reliable foreign partners in recent years, readily providing financial assistance to bail out its often-struggling neighbor. In July last year, China granted Pakistan a two-year rollover on a $2.4 billion loan, giving the debt-saddled nation much-needed breathing space as it tackled a balance-of-payments crisis.
China has invested over $65 billion in energy and infrastructure projects as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The project is part of President Xi Jinping’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. CPEC is designed to provide China with a shorter and safer trading route to the Middle East and beyond through Pakistan.
Dar’s visit comes amid Pakistan’s recent push for foreign investment, with Islamabad seeing a flurry of high-level exchanges from diplomats and business delegations in recent weeks from Saudi Arabia, Japan, Azerbaijan, Qatar and other countries.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to rid the country of its chronic macroeconomic crisis through foreign investment and efficient handling of the economy.