LAHORE, Dec 2: Federal Religious Affairs Secretary Wakil Ahmed Khan has said that 20,000 intending pilgrims have been flown to Saudi Arabia from the provincial metropolis and another 20,000 will leave by Dec 14.

Speaking at a training programme for the intending pilgrims here on Sunday, the secretary said that 62 boy scouts were assisting the pilgrims at the Haji camp and helping them in completion of formalities like getting passports, tickets and foreign exchange.

They had also made arrangements for their (pilgrims) stay at the camp. The ministry had also sent 74 officials headed by a joint secretary to Saudi Arabia to redress the grievances of pilgrims of the private Haj scheme.

Mr Khan said that 230 employees belonging to the federal government departments and armed forces had been sent to Jeddah, Makkah and Madina for providing necessary assistance to the intending pilgrims. —Reporter