ISLAMABAD: The first Hajj flight to Saudi Arabia would start from Islamabad on June 6, the religious ministry spokesperson announced on Friday.

“As many as 32,000 Hajj pilgrims will be flown to Saudi Arabia through 106 flights. The ‘Road to Makkah’ project will operate 42 flights from Islamabad,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

The government on May 15 announced that around 31,253 citizens will perform Hajj this year under the government scheme and 1,000 people on a special quota. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia gave 81,132 Hajj quotas to Pakistan. A total of 63,604 applications for the government Hajj scheme were received online and from the designated banks during the stipulated period this year.

The government has sent the flight schedule to pilgrims via SMS and directed them to strictly follow it in order to avoid any hassle.

The pilgrims should get biometrics from the nearest centre as per the flight schedule, it said and advised them to contact Hajj camp for mandatory vaccines, identity locket (in which pilgrim data is stored so that if it is lost it can be found and taken to his school or residence), passport, ticket, and wrist band (containing Pakistani flag).

“Covid PCR tests must be performed from six Saudi Arabia approved laboratories within 72 hours of the flight. Booths of such laboratories have been set up in Hajji camps and it is mandatory for the pilgrims to show a negative PCR certificate before leaving for Saudi Arabia,” it said.

Moreover, the pilgrim will have to pay Rs4,250 for the PCR test.

The fare for Hajj pilgrims from the Southern region, which includes Karachi and Quetta, would range from $810 to $1,100 in the peak season through the Pakistan International Airlines. The fare for the Northern region, which comprises Lahore, Islamabad, Multan, and Peshawar, would range from $860 to $1,150.

“Rs850,000/- as the tentative amount of Hajj cost shall be collected from the Hujjaj availing Government Hajj Scheme, including to Rs. 50,000/- which has already been received as token money from them. However, fixed charges of Hajj shall be adjusted as per actual expenditures announced by KSA, subject to exchange rate fixed,” said the Hajj Policy 2022.