ISLAMABAD: Necessary IT-based training sessions for the successful Hajj applicants have been started in various camps, Additional Secretary (Incharge), Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Dr Aftab Akbar Durrani said.

The inaugural Hajj flight will depart from Islamabad on June 6, he said while speaking to PTV.

Government was making all out-effort to provide complete hajj-related training and facilities to pilgrims so that they could avoid any difficulty in performance of Hajj 2022, he said.

Social media platforms would be used to guide and train intending pilgrims, he added.

Haji Camps are being established for the facilitation of intending pilgrims and mobile biometric verification will be done in far flung areas of the country, he mentioned.

The residences for pilgrims have been hired at lower prices in Makkah and Madina, he said, adding, biometric verification, vaccination and passport scanning of intending pilgrims is free of cost at Etimad centers.

The Saudi government has already declared biometric verification essential for all intending pilgrims and ministry is trying to make it easier for intending pilgrims to have their verification done faster, he added.

The ministry is sending whatsapp presentations, texts and making calls to make the pilgrims aware of the process,“ he highlighted.

The Pakistani government has chalked out all necessary guidelines with the Saudi government, he said, adding, the Saudi govt had directed all pilgrims to bring a smart/android mobile phone with them and we are paying special attention for the training of the pilgrims.

In response to a question, he said hopefully the prime minister and minister for religious affairs will see off the intending pilgrims at Islamabad airport on June 6 as all the arrangements for them have been reviewed.