The first inaugural flight PK733 arrived ahead of schedule.The flight was well received by Counsel General along with embassy team and DG Hajj with all Hajj Mission team and PIA KSA local management.
CG & DG Hajj appreciated the PIA arrangements.
It is pertinent to note that PIA’s first Hajj flight PK773 departed from Karachi carrying 328 pilgrims to Madinah in the early morning on Sunday.
Chief Operating Officer PIA Amanullah Qureshi, Director General Benazir Income Support Program Imtiaz Shah, Director Hajj Karachi Sajjad Haider and officials of Civil Aviation Authority and PIA bid farewell to the pilgrims.
A simple but dignified ceremony was held to see off the Hajj pilgrims, in which special prayers were offered for the security and development of Pakistan.
About 700 pilgrims departed to Saudi Arabia through inaugural flights from Karachi, Islamabad and Faisalabad on the first day of the Hajj operation.
The first flight PK 743 from Islamabad departed for Madinah on Sunday.
PIA’s Boeing 777 and Airbus 320 aircraft are being used for Hajj operations, PIA spokesperson said.
This year, PIA will transport more than 65,000 Hajj pilgrims to the Holy Hijaz through 320 special Hajj and scheduled flights.
The pre-Hajj operation will continue till June 22, while the post-Hajj operation will be completed from July 2 to August 2, spokesperson PIA.
PIA Hajj operation flights will be operated from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Quetta, Peshawar, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Sukkur and Rahim Yar Khan, spokesperson of PIA.
PIA CEO has issued instructions to all departments and Hajj teams deployed in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to provide the best facilities to pilgrims.
