Holy pilgrimage: Hajj flights to commence on Sunday

Federal Minister Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf will see off the intending pilgrims at the inaugural flight

ISLAMABAD: A month-long pre-Hajj operation to airlift Pakistanis pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Hajj-2014 will start with the departure of first Hajj flight No.SV-727 from Benazir Bhutto International Airport, on Sunday. Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf will see off the intending pilgrims at the inaugural flight. Besides Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (PIAC), Saudia, ShaheenAir, Air Blue, Air Arabia and other Middle East based airlines will airlift intending pilgrims at their regular flights along with other international bound passengers. About 28,072 passengers will depart from Islamabad airport to the Kinggdom, a spokesman of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Mubarak Shah told APP here on Tuesday. He said the Management of Civil Aviation Authority, Islamabad Airport has finalised the pre departure arrangements of intending pilgrims. In this regard, a high level meeting was held and chaired by Muhammad Ayaz Jadoon Airport Manager, CAA.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 27^th, 2014.