Pakistan started its Hajj flight operation on Sunday. The first batch of pilgrims took off from the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi in the wee hours to Madina, Saudi Arabia.

“As many as 46,249 pilgrims will be transported to Saudi Arabia from Karachi airport,” a spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority said.

Almost 175,000 people would proceed on the spiritual journey to perform Hajj rites this year on both government and private schemes, according to the government.

The first Hajj flight carrying 316 pilgrims landed at Madinah Munawara on Sunday. They were welcomed by Hajj Operations Director General Abdul Wahab Somroo and other officials of the Pakistani Hajj Mission.

They also distributed gifts and bouquets among the arriving pilgrims.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has urged the intending pilgrims to play their role in further enhancing the country’s prestige and dignity, Radio Pakistan reported. He was speaking at Faisalabad airport while seeing off the first hajj flight from the city to Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

The interior minister urged the pilgrims to comply with the directions of Saudi authorities during their stay to make their hajj hassle-free. “The government has provided maximum facilities to the pilgrims,” he said, adding that the PIA will airlift 3,500 intending plagiarism from Faisalabad to the holy land through 22 flights.

The hajj flight operation also started at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport with 285 passengers leaving for the holy land. Adviser to the PM on Religious Affairs Shabbir Ahmed Usmani saw off the intending pilgrims.

Qurbani amount

The ministry has refunded Rs55,000 as Qurbani amount to both regular and sponsorship scheme pilgrims in their bank accounts, Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood said.

It was decided that the ministry would arrange Qurbani for the pilgrims but due to delay in the decision, the majority of pilgrims had arranged this sacred rite on their own, he added.

Talha advised the pilgrims of both regular and sponsorship schemes to collect Rs55,000 from their respective banks before their departure for Hajj as the same would not be reimbursed to them in Saudi Arabia.

He said the Saudi government-run Qurbani booths would be available near government residences, providing a hassle-free process for purchasing the coupons.

“In the event of any issues or difficulties in acquiring the Qurbani amount, the complaint could be lodged with the accounts officer of the ministry directly at 0519208552,” he said.

The minister said this year more than 26,000 pilgrims would benefit from the Road to Makkah project from the Islamabad International Airport, a notable increase from the 16,000 pilgrims served last year.

He was of the view that the facility was aimed at streamlining the immigration and customs procedures for the intending pilgrims departing from the federal capital.