The inaugural Haj flight carrying 115 intending pilgrims left for Jeddah from Multan airport on Monday.
Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Alhaj Sikandar Hayat Bosan and Punjab Minister for Agricultural Marketing Rana Qasim Noon, City District Nazim Mian Faisal Mukhtar, District Manager PIA Bashir-uddin Khan, Director Haj Abdul Sattar Samtio, Airport Manager Amer Mehboob warmly sent them off at Multan Haj complex.
As many as 41 special Haj flights will airlift about 4,830 intending pilgrims from Multan to the Holy Land.
The Haj flights are being operated from Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, Sukkur and Faisalabad airports. The pilgrims from Sukkur, Multan and Faisalabad would reach Jeddah via Karachi, Airport Manager Amer Mehboob told.
In total, 140,000 intending pilgrims are being airlifted to Saudi Arabia during a month long operation. The Pakistan International Airline (PIA) will ferry about 130,000 pilgrims, while remaining 10,000 will be taken by Saudi Airline.
All arrangements had been completed to facilitate the pilgrims at Haji camp, airport and after their arrival in Jeddah, besides ensuring cleanliness, proper sanitation, spray and availability of fire brigade at Haji camp in Islamabad.