Holy sojourn: PIA Hajj operation kicks off

First Pre-Hajj flights from Islamabad, Quetta and Peshawar regions will commence from August 29, 2014

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Pre-Hajj Operation to airlift around 54,000 intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Hajj-2014 commenced on Thursday. The first Hajj flight PK-2001 took off from Jinnah International Airport Karachi for Jeddah at 07:00 hours carrying 300 intending pilgrims. While the first Hajj flight from Lahore PK-2201 took off at 08:00 hours from Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore carrying 315 intending hujjaj. On the first day of pre-hajj operation, the national flag carrier carried 1,004 intending hajjis to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; one flight from Karachi and two flights from Lahore. The first Pre-Hajj flights from Islamabad, Quetta and Peshawar regions PK 2203, PK 2601 and PK 2501 respectively will commence from August 29, 2014.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29^th, 2014.