The Ministry of Religious Affairs on Wednesday announced the Haj flight schedule, with operations set to begin from April 18.

The ministry advised intending pilgrims to check their flight details through the Pak Haj mobile app, while the information is also available on the ministry’s official website.

Authorities urged applicants to stay updated through the app for further announcements.

Under the government Hajj scheme, around 119,000 pilgrims will be transported to Saudi Arabia through 468 flights during the operation.

The first flights will depart on April 18 from Karachi, Lahore, Sialkot, and Multan, carrying pilgrims to the holy city of Madina.

The Haj operation will continue for 34 days, with the initial 15 days dedicated to flights bound for Madina.

In total, 186 flights will operate to Madina and 282 to Jeddah. Flights to Jeddah will begin from May 4, while the first long-route flight to Madina is scheduled for May 7.

The final Haj flight will depart on May 21.

A total of 67,230 male and 51,846 female pilgrims will perform Haj under the government scheme this year.

Flights will operate from eight cities, including Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Multan, Sialkot, Faisalabad, and Sukkur.

Besides PIA, airlines participating in the pre-Haj flight operation include Airblue, AirSial, and Saudi carriers.