In a first, over 12,000 pilgrims from J-K to perform Hajj-2023

SRINAGAR — A record number of pilgrims for the first time have left for the Hajj pilgrimage this year from Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Friday and that over 12,000 pilgrims have left to perform Hajj in 40 batches.

Details available with the news agency KNO said that a total of 12,067 pilgrims have left for the pilgrimage this year.

It is for the first time since the Jammu & Kashmir Hajj Committee (JKHC) was formed in 2008 that such a huge number of pilgrims have left for the pilgrimage from the Union Territory of J&K.

Executive Officer, J&K Haj Committee (JKHC), Shujaat Ahmed Qureshi said that 6,698 males and 5,369 females have left for the pilgrimage this year. Additionally, 111 ladies without mahram have also gone to perform Hajj this year.

He said that the pilgrims have left for the pilgrimage in 40 batches including 38 from Srinagar and two from Mumbai. “Compared to the previous year, the number of pilgrims has gone up by over 100 per cent as only 6,000 pilgrims had gone to perform Hajj in 2022,” he said.

He said that pilgrims will return back on July 17 from Madina.

Notably, the first batch of pilgrims for Hajj-2023 from Jammu and Kashmir left for Jeddah on June 7, 2023.

It is worth mentioning here that the Hajj was suspended for two consecutive years in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 and 2021.