Islamabad: With the Hajj flight operation to Saudi Arabia fully operational, Pakistani pilgrims in Madinah have expressed satisfaction with the government's arrangements, saying their experience has been "better than expected."

In January, Saudi authorities reinstated Pakistan's pre-pandemic Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims and removed the upper age limit of 65.

Approximately 80,000 pilgrims are scheduled to perform Hajj under the government scheme this year, with the remainder facilitated by private tour operators.

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The first group of Pakistani Hajj pilgrims arrived in Madinah on May 22, with the final flight leaving Pakistan on June 20.

These pilgrims will depart for Makkah after spending eight days in Madinah, according to Pakistan's Religious Affairs Ministry.

"The Pakistani government's arrangements for us here are better than expected," Mohammed Farrukh, a pilgrim from southern Karachi, said in a video interview circulated by the ministry.

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"(Ministry officials) addressed all of our concerns." For example, we were concerned about buying sacrificial animals for Hajj. However, the government returned our money so that we could purchase the animal of our choice."

Naveed Durrani, another pilgrim from Peshawar, said he took the Hajj flight from Islamabad.

"The hotel (booked for us) is right opposite the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, which is very convenient for us," he added.

While the majority of pilgrims claimed they had encountered no problems in the Kingdom, they agreed that patience was still the key to a pleasant experience.

"This is my first Hajj, and it's been a great experience," said Zara, a pilgrim from Lahore who only gave her first name.

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"Even if we complain about minor issues, they are addressed right away," she added. "However, we must remember that Hajj teaches us patience and how to be good human beings, which is the key to having a good experience.