The private airline flight took off at 2AM on Thursday and left on time, just 15 minutes after the scheduled departure.

The flight carried 150 Hajj pilgrims who were headed to Madinah.

The private airline ensured a smooth departure for the pilgrims, who embarked on their spiritual expedition.

The second Hajj flight was to depart with 180 pilgrims

Under the Makkah Route Initiative, immigration procedures are completed at the pilgrims’ country of departure, streamlining the entry process and reducing waiting times.

This initiative has been highly appreciated by pilgrims since its launch in 2019.

A total of 11 flights carrying 2,160 Pakistani pilgrims are scheduled to land in Madinah today.

These flights will transport pilgrims from five major Pakistani cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Multan, and Peshawar.

The expansion of the Makkah Route Initiative to the largest city in Pakistan, Karachi will facilitate a massive influx of devotees from Pakistan and other parts of the world.

Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki will visit both Islamabad and Karachi airports to bid farewell to the Pakistani Hajj pilgrims.

Upon arrival in Madinah, the pilgrims will be received by authorities from the Pakistan Consulate General and the Hajj Mission of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

The Hajj flight operation will be carried out by five airlines including Pakistan International Airlines, Saudi Airlines, Airblue, Serene Air, and Air Sial.

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A total of 259 sorties will be operated to transport approximately 68,000 intending pilgrims from eight major cities in Pakistan to Jeddah and Madinah.

The flight schedule indicates that the first flight, PF754 (AirSial), was scheduled to depart from Karachi at 01:45 am, carrying around 150 intending Hajj pilgrims.

The last Hajj flight, SV3727 (Saudi Airlines), will depart on June 10 from Islamabad to Jeddah, with 380 passengers onboard.

This year, a total of 179,210 Pakistanis are expected to perform Hajj under both government and private schemes.

The month-long flight operation will commence on May 9 and is aimed at facilitating a smooth and successful Hajj pilgrimage for all participants.

A quota of 89,605 pilgrims has been allocated for each of the government and private schemes, with an additional quota of 25,000 and 44,802 pilgrims respectively allocated to the sponsorship schemes.