19,245 intending Hajj pilgrims airlifted to Saudi Arabia
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—More than 19,245 intending Hajj pilgrims have so far flown by 62 flights to Jeddah, for performing Hajj.According to Joint Secretary Hajj, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Muhammad Sarwar, out of these pilgrims, 2,759 have been sent to Madina by road.
Giving details, out of total pilgrims flown to the Holy Land, 12,711 were sent under government scheme, while 6,534 under private scheme. About deployment of Seasonal Staff, Khuddam ul Hajjaj and Medical Mission, 436 have already been put on various duties in Jeddah, Makkah and Madina. The medical mission has so far provided medical treatment to 747 outdoor patients, he added.
He said during pre-Hajj operation, a total of 502 flights will be operated to ferry 160,000 Pakistani pilgrims to Saudi Arabia out of which PIA would operate 336 flights to uplift 124,050 pilgrims. The remaining pilgrims will be airlifted by Saudi and Gulf airlines, he added. According to detail 10 flights will be operated from Karachi, 93 from Lahore, 78 from Faisalabad, 124 from Peshawar, 57 from Quetta, 34 from Multan, 20 from Faisalabad and 4 from Sukkur.
PIA will operate 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 the Federal Capital on 51 flights, 19,065 pilgrims on 93 flights from Peshawar and another 11,685 pilgrims from Quetta on 57 flights.