SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
A trip called Hajj is the most sacred pilgrimage in the Islamic religion. Muslim-majority Pakistan sends one of the biggest groups globally for this yearly pilgrimage, and its government has been preparing them for months. But as Betsy Joles reports from Islamabad, the ongoing war in the Middle East has added a level of uncertainty to the process.
BETSY JOLES, BYLINE: At a government site on the outskirts of Pakistan's capital, dozens of pilgrims gather in an auditorium.
UNIDENTIFIED TRAINER: (Non-English language spoken).
JOLES: They're listening to a Hajj trainer, whose job is to help prepare them for the multiday journey that begins later this month. Among other rituals, it has pilgrims traveling between key sites around Mecca and circling the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site.
UNIDENTIFIED TRAINER: (Non-English language spoken).
JOLES: Pilgrims here come from areas around Pakistan, from major cities to remote villages. This is the last information session they'll attend before they fly to Saudi Arabia. They've learned everything from airport etiquette to tips for avoiding heatstroke. Some people here have never traveled abroad at all before so many logistics are new to them.
JUNAID ALI: How to take a boarding pass, how to manage your luggage, how to use the custom check-in point.
JOLES: Junaid Ali works for the reservation and ticketing department at Pakistan National Airlines. He sits behind a busy counter as pilgrims gather to collect the documents they need.
ALI: (Non-English language spoken).
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Non-English language spoken).
ALI: (Non-English language spoken).
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Non-English language spoken).
JOLES: Uniformed Pakistan Boy Scouts are among the volunteers here. They hand out plastic packets with plane tickets and other paperwork for those traveling through the government's Hajj program.
(CROSSTALK)
JOLES: There are other firsts for some travelers, like opening a bank account needed to pay for the trip. Pakistan's massive informal economy means a lot of people are accustomed to operating in cash. Abdul Qadir from Allied Bank says the pilgrimage brings some of them formally into the fold.
ABDUL QADIR: They say, open my account. I'm going to Hajj. I'm going to Hajj.
JOLES: Hajj holds major significance in Pakistan. When pilgrims return from it, they're greeted at airports by crowds who put garlands on their necks and shower them with rose petals. Qazi Sami-Ur-Rehman, Hajj director for Islamabad, explains the belief.
QAZI SAMI-UR-REHMAN: You cannot go for Hajj unless the God has invited you.
JOLES: For many in Pakistan, Hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that requires years of careful saving. It can cost $4,000 or more. And this year, the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has ratcheted up travel prices around the world, causing some stress among pilgrims, says Nasir Khan, a retired schoolteacher. He sits in a crowded waiting area in the Hajji camp.
NASIR KHAN: (Non-English language spoken).
JOLES: "Some people were saying that they will demand higher prices," he says.
Saudi Arabia was directly affected by the war in its early weeks when it was hit by Iranian drones and missiles. That fighting caused disruptions to flights throughout the Gulf region, and air traffic from the Middle East to some major airports is still less than normal. That hasn't deterred 32-year-old Arshia Kanwal from Rawalpindi.
ARSHIA KANWAL: (Non-English language spoken).
JOLES: "No doubt there's travel uncertainty," she says. "For example, flights might get canceled." But she has faith, she says, and that translates to hope that God will take care of the rest. For NPR News, I'm Betsy Joles in Islamabad.
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