KARACHI: Hajj flight operations from Pakistan commenced early Saturday, with the first batch of pilgrims departing from Karachi at 3am on a private airline, according to authorities at Jinnah International Airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Officials said a total of 160 pilgrims travelled on the inaugural flight. Under the Road to Makkah Project, the pilgrims completed one-time immigration procedures at Karachi airport prior to departure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first flight from Pakistan landed in Madinah, where the pilgrims were received by airport authorities and Hajj service providers. Meanwhile, a second Hajj flight from Turkiye is also expected to arrive in Madinah.Separately, a spokesperson for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) confirmed that the airline will begin its Hajj operations from April 19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PIA plans to transport more than 55,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia through 191 flights.Out of these, approximately 49,000 pilgrims will travel under the government scheme, while around 6,000 will perform Hajj through private groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PIA\u2019s Hajj flights will operate from multiple cities, including Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Quetta.The airline\u2019s first Hajj flight, PK-747, is scheduled to depart from Sialkot to Madinah on April 19. On the same day, flight PK-4003 will leave Faisalabad carrying more than 150 pilgrims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Multan\u2019s first Hajj flight will depart on April 20 with 391 pilgrims on board, while Islamabad\u2019s first flight, PK-713, is set to leave for Madinah on April 21.From Quetta, the first Hajj flight will depart on April 21 carrying more than 300 pilgrims, whereas Karachi\u2019s flight PK-743 will transport 391 pilgrims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lahore\u2019s first Hajj flight is scheduled for April 24 and will carry over 300 pilgrims.Earlier this month, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf announced that arrangements for Hajj 2026 are fully in place, with no additional cost for 180,000 pilgrims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This includes 120,000 pilgrims under the government scheme and 60,000 travelling through private arrangements.Highlighting improvements, the minister announced the introduction of a new Lahore-to-Saudi Arabia route to facilitate easier travel, while flights from other cities will continue as planned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He emphasised that all arrangements, including flights, accommodation and transport, will be managed efficiently to ensure the comfort and safety of pilgrims.He further stated that the Ministry of Religious Affairs will maintain close coordination with private companies to regulate Umrah services, accommodation, catering and transport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEvery effort is being made to provide pilgrims with high-quality arrangements, and the ministry aims to make this year\u2019s Hajj an exemplary experience in terms of management and facilities,\u201d he said. The minister also reaffirmed the strong relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, appreciating the host country\u2019s support and arrangements for Pakistani pilgrims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that Pakistan will fully utilise its Hajj quota while maintaining high standards, reflecting the commitment of both countries to ensuring a safe and smooth pilgrimage experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Responding to a query, he noted that while Hajj flights previously operated mainly from Karachi and Islamabad, a new Lahore-to-Saudi Arabia route has now been introduced, with flights from other cities continuing as scheduled.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
KARACHI: Hajj flight operations from Pakistan commenced early Saturday, with the first batch of pilgrims departing from Karachi at 3am on a private airline, according to authorities at Jinnah International… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3273,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[1931,35],"class_list":["post-3272","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pakistan","tag-hajj-flights","tag-pakistan"],"yoast_head":"\n