20000213

First Haj flight

from Faisalabad

leaves for S Arabia

RECORDER REPORT

FAISALABAD: Communication and Works, Housing and Physical Planning, and Urban Development Minister Maj Gen Mohammad Tariq (Retd) bid farewell to the second Haj flight from Pakistan and first Fight of the Punjab that flew from Faisalabad here on Saturday morning.

Addressing a simple function in Haji Camp temporarily set up in Government Cooperative Training College Sargodha Road, he said Haj was not only an individual ritual but also a collective one. Millions of Muslims irrespective of colour, cast and creed gather in holy lands to demonstrate an unprecedented example of unity.

He said we must learn lessons from this ritual by shunning petty differences to forge unity among our ranks and files.

He termed the intending pilgrims as ambassadors of Pakistan and hoped that they would bring good name for their motherland by behaving properly. He also asked them to pray for the independence of occupied Kashmir and other Muslim territories.

The minister told that the government has taken the best possible steps to make their stay in holy lands most comfortable. Khuddam-ul-Hajjaj has been elected irrespective of any political consideration and said that they would feel a visible relief during their stay in Saudi Arabia.

He also expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made in the Haji Camp and lauded the services of the local administration and businessmen in making their stay most comfortable.

Divisional Commissioner Maj Mohammad Iqbal Raja (Retd), Sheikh Munawwar of Yarn Merchants Association and Additional Deputy Commissioner Gen Babar Hasan Bherwana also addressed the function.

They told that direct Haj flights were started from Faisalabad last year. Approximately, 7,700 pilgrims from the districts of Faisalabad Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Sargodha, Mianwali, Bhakkar, Khushab, Sheikhupura and Hafizabad will be airlifted from Faisalabad through 28 flights.

The first phase of Haj operation will be completed on March 10.

They said that the Ministry of Haj, PIA, Customs, banks, FIA, Anti-Narcotics, Scouts, police and district administration has rendered best services.