The national airline, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), has announced its pre-Hajj operation for 2025. The operation will start on April 29 and continue until June 1.
During this period, the national airline will operate 280 special flights to transport over 56,000 Pakistani pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, Express News reported.
According to sources, this year, 20,000 pilgrims will travel under the government’s Hajj scheme, while 36,000 will travel under the private scheme, all via PIA flights. Boeing 777 and Airbus 320 aircraft will be used to ensure a comfortable and organized journey.
PIA’s post-Hajj operation will begin on June 12 and continue until July 10, during which flights will be arranged to bring back the returning pilgrims. A coordinated flight system will be put in place to ensure smooth operations.
Officials have stated that special arrangements have been made to ensure that all flights are completed on time and safely, and to provide every possible facility to prevent any inconvenience for the pilgrims.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the reduction in the private Hajj quota for this year, which left thousands of Pakistanis unable to perform Hajj under the private scheme.
The PM directed an immediate inquiry into the matter and established a three-member committee tasked with identifying the responsible parties within three days.
The inquiry follows the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony’s failure to secure the private Hajj quota from Saudi Arabia for 2025 despite the timely fulfillment of necessary procedures.
