ISLAMABAD: Religious Affairs Ministry on Saturday said that around 8,500 Pakistani pilgrims were flown to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, since the start of a pre-Hajj flight operation on June 6.
“Through Hajj flights operation in the last five days, 8,500 pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia,” the religious affairs ministry said in a statement.
“More than 1,500 pilgrims will be flown to Madinah by 5 Hajj flights on Saturday,” it added.
The first Hajj flight carrying Pakistani pilgrims departed from Islamabad on June 6. Pakistan will operate 42 flights to transport 14,007 Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia under the “Road to Makkah” initiative this year.
Pakistan has been allotted a quota of 81,132 pilgrims for this year’s Hajj, with 32,000 people using a government scheme and 48,000 traveling through private operators.
Hajj pilgrims are also being informed about the flights through the website and SMS on their mobile numbers, said spokesperson.
The religious ministry has urged all Hajj pilgrims not to enter the premises of Riaz-ul-Jannah without prior permission from Saudi authorities.
Road to Makkah initiative
Saudi Arabia has launched the ‘Road to Makkah’ initiative in five countries including Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco and Bangladesh.
FIRST HAJJ FLIGHT TAKES OFF FROM ISLAMABAD UNDER MAKKAH ROUTE INITIATIVE
The country’s ministry of interior said that the “Road to Makkah” initiative aims to receive Hajj pilgrims and complete their procedures from their countries with ease.
It starts with issuing the visa electronically and taking the vital characteristics and then passing through the complete passport procedures at the airport of the country of departure after verifying the availability of health requirements.
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