Pakistan officially commenced its Hajj flight operations on Tuesday morning, with the departure of the first group of 442 pilgrims from Islamabad to Madinah under the Makkah Route Initiative, according to a statement issued by the national carrier.
The government’s Hajj program will facilitate more than 89,000 Pakistani pilgrims over a span of 33 days, utilizing a total of 342 dedicated flights to Makkah and Madinah. The final Hajj flight is scheduled to leave Pakistan on May 31.
“The inaugural Hajj flight for this year, PIA flight PK-713, departed from Islamabad International Airport at 4:45 AM, carrying 442 pilgrims under the Makkah Route Initiative,” a spokesperson for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) confirmed.
Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf and the Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, were present at the airport to see off the departing pilgrims.
The Makkah Route Initiative, introduced by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, aims to expedite immigration procedures by allowing pilgrims to complete all travel-related formalities at their point of departure.
