KARACHI: As many as 291 Hajj pilgrims were flown to Saudi Arabia’s Madina through the first flight of the national flag carrier from Karachi.

Air Vice Marshal Irfan Zaheer, the director of the precision engineering complex of Pakistan International Airlines, bid farewell to the pilgrims. Adviser to the Sindh CM on Zakat, Ushr and Religious Affairs Fayaz Ali Butt, PIA station manager Ahmed Alam, and other officials were also present. The PIA also distributed umbrellas to the pilgrims.

A special team has been formed for the assistance of Hajj pilgrims at airports in Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, and Quetta – five cities from where PIA flight operations are running. The Hajj operation will continue till July 3. Later, the Hajj flights would begin on July 14 and continue till August 13.

The national flag carrier has so far transported more than 2,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. This year a million people are expected to perform the religious rite.