LAHORE: A flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) brought
back first 213 passengers from Saudi Arabia as the South Asian country kick started its
post-Hajj flight operations to facilitate over 83,000 pilgrims, it emerged on Friday.
Up to one million pilgrims from across the world, including 81,132 from Pakistan,
performed Hajj rituals this year as the kingdom expanded the capacity after two years
of Covid pandemic.
The first Hajj flight, PK-740, landed at the Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore
where they were welcomed by the station manager and other officials of the national
carrier.
A spokesperson of PIA said that the national carrier will facilitate over 28,000
pilgrims in more than 154 post-Hajj flights.
Hundreds of flights of Airblue, Serene Air, and Saudi Airlines will also bring back
pilgrims who went to the kingdom on the government’s scheme in nearly one-month-
long operations.
Pilgrims who performed this year’s Hajj under the government scheme would be
facilitated with their boarding cards and baggage before arriving at the airport, the
spokesman said, adding that the initiative will be convenient for pilgrims.
The flight operation from Madina would start on July 18, Butt said, adding that the
nearly one-month-long post-Hajj flight operation to bring more than 81,000 Pakistani
pilgrims from Saudi Arabia would continue without any break till August 13.
Officials of religious affairs and interfaith harmony, the Civil Aviation Authority, and
the airlines concerned will welcome the returning pilgrims, while five liters of Aab-
e-Zam Zam would be provided to pilgrims upon their arrival at the airport.