Hajj 2024: Pakistan's first flight with 180 pilgrims to depart tomorrow
Pakistan
More than 68,000 intending pilgrims will be flown to Saudi Arabia
- Eleven flights will depart for Medina on first day of Hajj operation
- The return journey is scheduled to begin on June 20
KARACHI (Dunya News) – The first Hajj flight will take off from Karachi airport on Thursday (tomorrow) with 180 pilgrims, officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs said here on Tuesday.
The officials said the first flight would take off at 1:45am on Thursday. According to them, as many as 180 pilgrims would depart from Karachi to Medina whereas the second flight with 150 pilgrims would depart for the holy land at 2am.
More than 68,000 intending pilgrims under government’s regular Hajj scheme would be flown to Saudi Arabia by 259 flights of several airlines in a month-long pre-Hajj flights operation.
From May 24 to June 9, most flights would arrive at Jeddah while the post-Hajj flight operation from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan would start on June 20.
On the first day (Thursday), 11 flights carrying 2,160 intending pilgrims would depart for Medina from Pakistan’s airports.
As many as 680 pilgrims in three flights from Islamabad would be taken to Medina, two flights with 330 pilgrims would embark from Karachi, and three flights with 670 pilgrims would leave Lahore.
The first Hajj flights from Quetta and Sukkur are scheduled on May 11 and 27.
PRE-HAJJ ARRANGEMENTS
Earlier, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony finalised arrangements for the intending pilgrims. Accordingly, the vaccination of the pilgrims was held on April 30 as the travellers are required to receive the mandatory vaccination 10 days before Hajj flights commence.
Carrying smartphones is mandatory for the pilgrims so that they can seek help from apps during their Hajj journey.
