Starting this Monday, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)
commenced its Hajj operation and four flights left for Saudi
Arabia.
The first Hajj flight, with 250 pilgrims on board, flew from Benazir Bhutto
International Airport to Hijjaz-e-Muqadas.
A large number of people including family members, relatives and officials
of the Religious Affairs Ministry were present at airport to bid farewell to the pilgrims.
The second flight took off from Karachi at 3:00pm, while two other flights
flew at 7:00pm and 10:00pm from Lahore and Quetta respectively.
Addressing media persons earlier, federal minister for Religious Affairs
Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said that this year 143,000 Pakistani pilgrims will
perform Hajj.