First Hajj flight to depart from Karachi on July 5

ISLAMABAD: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) here on Wednesday announced the schedule of pre-Hajj flight operations for Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, ARY News reported.

According to the schedule, first pre-Hajj flight of a private airline will depart from Karachi on July 5. The flight, PA-1760 would leave for Saudi Arabia with over 180 intending pilgrims on board.

From Karachi, the first PIA Hajj flight, PK-743, will depart at 7:00 pm with 225 passengers on board for Medina on July 5.

Sources said that over 25,081 intending pilgrims would be transported to Saudi Arabia through 95 flights during the Hajj operation from Karachi and added that the operation would continue till August 6.

CAA spokesperson said that every possible facility would be provided to the intending pilgrims and added that FIA’s separate counters would be established at the Jinnah International Airport on to ease the process of immigration.

Earlier on June 24, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noor-ul-Haq Qadri had said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led federal government was committed to provide all facilities to Hajj pilgrims.

Addressing a media workshop regarding Hajj 2019 in Quetta, Qadri had said the ministry of religious affairs for the first time had made arrangements to spread information regarding Hajj through social media.