PIA pre-haj flight leaves for Jeddah

The PIA pre-haj 2012 first flight PK 2001 from Karachi carrying 503 intending pilgrims took off from the haj terminal for Jeddah at 14:30 PM.
A PIA spokesman said here on Thursday that the intending Hajj pilgrims were seen off by Managing Director PIA, Muhammad Junaid Yunus, Director Flight Operations PIA, Captain Anwar Adil Shaikh, Director Corporate Services PIA, Mamoon Rashid, CAA Director Airport Services, Asif Bashir Ahmed and senior officials of the airline.
Managing Director PIA, Muhammad Junaid Yunus, greeted each intending pilgrim before boarding the aircraft and ensured departure of the flight on scheduled time.
He assured the intending pilgrims that PIA Hajj operation is performed with religious fervor and although meticulous arrangements are in place for providing traveling facilities, still if any difficulty is experienced by any of the pilgrim, they may approach him directly for resolution of their grievance. On the occasion, the intending pilgrims prayed for the progress and prosperity of the national flag carrier and the country.
Further, the intending pilgrims assured that they would also pray for the airline during their Holy pilgrimage. The airline’s Pre -Hajj flights commenced from September 19 and has so far carried 3,500 intending pilgrims to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, through eight flights from Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta and Karachi.
PIA would be operating eight daily flights from these cities while the first Pre-Hajj flight departure from Multan will be on September 27 and from Sialkot on October 1, 2012.
The pre haj flights will continue till October 20, 2012
The intending pilgrims of the haj flights from Peshawar and Islamabad on arrival were greeted by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah at Haj Terminal Jeddah.