First Hajj flights soar with over 700 pilgrims
In the early hours of Sunday, a momentous occasion unfolded as the inaugural Hajj flights departed from Karachi, Lahore, and Faisalabad, carrying more than 700 eager pilgrims towards their sacred destination of Madina.
The resounding enthusiasm of the pilgrims was met with a warm reception from both the Pakistani Hajj Mission and the Saudi authorities, setting the tone for a spiritually fulfilling journey.
Upon reaching Madina, the pilgrims are poised to embark on an extraordinary eight-day spiritual journey, replete with the opportunity to visit numerous sacred religious sites.
Hajj Deputy Director, Zaigham Nawaz, expressed his unwavering commitment to ensuring the utmost convenience and comfort for the pilgrims, affirming that every facility necessary for their well-being will be provided.
Hajj Madina Director Ziaur Rehman said in Riyadhul Jannah located inside Masjid-e-Nabwi, Nawafil (Sunnah prayers) would be offered in organised groups.
According to a spokesperson for the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the first Hajj flight, PK-773, left Karachi for Madina carrying 328 pilgrims.
The passengers were seen off by PIA Chief Operating Officer Amanullah Qureshi, Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Director General Sindh Imtiaz Shah, Karachi Hajj Director Sajjad Haider and Civil Aviation Authorities (CAA) as well as other PIA officials in a simple ceremony.
The spokesperson said PIA’s Boeing 777 and Airbus 320 were being used for Hajj flights.
He added that a total of 320 special Hajj and scheduled flights would carry over 65,000 pilgrims from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia.
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The spokesperson explained that before Hajj, the operation would continue until June 22. He added that after Hajj, the operation would start from July 2 and continue till August 2.
He said the Hajj flights would be operated from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Quetta, Peshawar, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Sukkur and Rahim Yar Khan.
He continued that the PIA CEO had issued directives to Hajj teams posted in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to provide best facilities to the pilgrims.
The second Hajj flight, ER-2921, carrying 279 pilgrims took off from Lahore at 5am, a spokesperson for the CAA said.
The third flight, PK-1341, left Faisalabad for Madina with 149 passengers on board.
They were seen off by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director, Faisalabad deputy commissioner and other officials at the airport.
Another Hajj flight was due to depart from Islamabad at around 9:15pm on Sunday night.
A spokesperson for the FIA said the agency’s immigration staff was striving to provide the best services to Hajj pilgrims at domestic airports as per the instructions it had received.
He continued that immigration counters had been activated.
In a statement, the spokesperson wrote that senior pilgrims had been provided with immigration services without any queue.
He added that to ensure the implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the relevant institutions, the use of face masks, gloves and sanitisers during the duty and presence of the immigration staff during the Hajj operation would be ensured.
(With input from agencies)