Pakistan kicks off Hajj 2025 operations as first flight departs from Islamabad

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Pakistan formally commenced its Hajj flight operations for 2025 on Tuesday, with the first batch of 442 pilgrims departing from Islamabad to Madinah under the Makkah Route Initiative

The 33-day operation will see over 89,000 pilgrims travel under the government’s Hajj scheme, with a total of 342 flights scheduled. The final flight is expected to depart on May 31.

The inaugural flight, PIA PK-713, departed from Islamabad International Airport at 4:45 am, while the second flight of the day, AirSial’s PF-7700, carried 150 pilgrims from Lahore to Madinah at 8:00 am.

Six flights are scheduled to depart from Pakistan on Tuesday, covering Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, and Multan.

Addressing the departing pilgrims, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf urged them to respect Saudi laws and traditions, describing the pilgrims as "guests of Allah and ambassadors of Pakistan."

He also announced plans to visit Saudi Arabia to personally oversee the arrangements and pledged full support for Pakistani pilgrims.

Yousaf expressed gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for facilitating Pakistani pilgrims.

He added that each pilgrim has been provided with a mobile SIM card equipped with a guidance application for use during the pilgrimage, particularly in Mina.

This year, around 89,000 Pakistanis will perform Hajj under the government scheme, while another 23,620 are expected to travel through private tour operators.

Approximately 50,500 Pakistani pilgrims will benefit from Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route Initiative, which streamlines immigration procedures by allowing travellers to complete their clearance at home airports before departing.

The initiative, launched in 2019, is currently operational in Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco, and Bangladesh. Under the Makkah Route Initiative, 28,000 pilgrims will depart from Islamabad, and 22,500 from Karachi.

While final global figures are yet to be confirmed, projections suggest that Hajj 2025 could see a record attendance of over 2.5 million Muslims gathering for the pilgrimage.