Annual pilgrimage: First Hajj flight leaves today

LAHORE:  

The first Hajj flight will depart for Saudi Arabia from Allama Iqbal International Airport on Thursday (today). Hajj Director Saeed Ahmad Malik told APP that 12,000 people from Lahore would perform Hajj under a government scheme. He said more than 15,000 pilgrims would perform Hajj this year under the private scheme.

He said the Hajj Directorate had begun issuing Hajj documents to pilgrims. “The pilgrims should collect their passports, tickets and other travel documents from the Haji Camp two days before their departure,” he said.

“They should bring their original receipts bearing date of departure and flight numbers, letters issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, their identity cards and two copies, and six attested photographs,” he said. He said the pilgrims would receive their passports and tickets after presenting the ministry’s letter at Pakistan International Airlines or Saudi Airlines counters.

“They will be given a card containing their identification details, address in Makkah, group and Maktab numbers. This should be kept safely,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th, 2016.