Pre-Hajj operation successfully completed

ISLAMABAD: The pre-Hajj operation from Islamabad Airport has been successfully completed, according to the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA).

A total of 191 flights departed from Islamabad Airport. In total, 32,196 Hajj pilgrims were sent off from Islamabad.

PAA stated that 29,603 pilgrims departed through 108 flights under Route to Makkah. A total 2,593 pilgrims departed in 83 flights from private and scheduled flights.

Earlier, with the arrival of the last Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK-759 from Karachi, carrying 307 intending pilgrims, the 33-day pre-Hajj flight operation, which started on April 29, successfully concluded.

“Under the Government Hajj Scheme, as many as 88,260 intending pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia via 342 flights from various cities of Pakistan,” spokesperson for the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Similarly, over 27,000 pilgrims arrived in the holy land through the private Hajj scheme, the spokesperson added.

In the first phase of the Hajj flight operation, he said a total of 39,717 Pakistanis were transported to Madinah by May 27 via 156 flights.

The spokesperson said over 115,000 Pakistani pilgrims will perform Hajj this year—88,260 under the government Hajj scheme and 27,011 through private Hajj Group Organizers (HGOs).