Soomro sees off first Hajj flight at Islamabad airport
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—The first Hajj flight PK-1505 with 433 intending pilgrims on board, left here for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday evening.Chairman Senate, Muhammedmian Soomro alongwith Minister for Religious Affairs, Muhammad Ijaz ul Haq saw off the intending pilgrims at the Islamabad International Airport.Officials of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), PIA, Customs, Anti-Narcotics Forces were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman Senate asked the pilgrims to show patience and discipline during performance of the Hajj and pray for the prosperity of the homeland and its people. He said that ample arrangements have been made to facilitate the pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah, adding, “Khuddam ul Hajjaj and Hajj Medical Mission will look after them during performance of Hajj rituals.”
Soomro informed that old residential buildings in Madinah have been demolished, however, the government has acquired buildings near to Masjid-e-Nabvi. In his welcome address, Ijaz ul Haq said owing to untired efforts of the government, the Hajj quota for Pakistani pilgrims has been increased from 110,000 to 160,000 during the last three years.
He informed that arrangements at ‘Jamrat’ have been improved by the Saudi Government and no untoward incident occurred last year. About medical facilities, he said a 60-bed hospital and eight dispensaries are available to provide medical facilities to our pilgrims who would perform Hajj under government scheme.
He said last year, the Pakistan Medical Mission conducted 8,000 X-rays and 15,000 blood tests. Ijaz ul Haq informed that medicines amounting to Rs.12.5 million have also been despatched to Saudi Arabia for our pilgrims.
According to PIA, in all, 336 flights have been scheduled by national flag carrier to uplift 1,24,050 intending Hajj pilgrims. PIA will operate 30 Hajj flights directly for Madinah, 10 each from Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
The pre-Hajj operation entails a total of 72 flights from Karachi carrying 22,570 pilgrims and 63 flights from Lahore, transporting 27,279 intending pilgrims. Similarly, PIA will be carrying 22,083 pilgrims from Islamabad on 51 flights, 19065 pilgrims on 93 flights from Peshawar and another 11685 pilgrims from Quetta on 57 flights.
Pilgrims from Multan, Faisalabad and Sukkur are being transported by PIA to Karachi for onward travel to Saudi Arabia. The Pre Hajj operation will complete on December 14, while the post-Hajj operation to bring Pakistani pilgrims back from Saudi Arabia will commence on December 25.
For the convenience of the pilgrims, PIA has made special arrangements to provide complimentary Hajj books, Ahrams to male Hajjaj and lady gowns with scarf to female pilgrims before departure in Hajji camp.