PIA's first Pre-Hajj flight PK 1205 from Karachi left on Thursday with 466 pilgrims on board, commencing the airlines Hajj operation from Karachi to Saudi Arabia. Director Human Resources and Administration PIA, Haneef Pathan, General Manager Passenger Handling Services PIA, Aijaz Mazhar, General Manager Hajj, Charters and Group tours, Ali Gul Kalhoro, senior officials of the airline and officials of ASF-Karachi bade farewell to the intending Hajj pilgrims.
PIA's Pre Hajj operation which commenced from October 21, 2009 will continue through till November 21, 2009 while the post Hajj flights would start from December 2, 2009 and conclude on January 1, 2010. This year PIA will be transporting over 1,26,000 Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia through 291 Hajj flights from Karachi (including Faisalabad, Rahim Yar Khan and Sukkur), Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and Sialkot.
This year, Sialkot station has been added as a new station for direct flights to Jeddah. The Pre-Hajj operation entails a total of 65 flights from Karachi carrying 30,817 pilgrims and 72 flights from Lahore, transporting 33,696 intending pilgrims. Similarly, PIA will be carrying 29,484 pilgrims from Islamabad on 63 flights, 17,508 pilgrims on 52 flights from Peshawar, 11,119 pilgrims from Quetta on 31 Hajj flights and 3,744 pilgrims from Sialkot on 8 flights. Pilgrims from Faisalabad, Rahim Yar Khan and Sukkur are being transported by PIA to Karachi for onward travel to the holy land.
The Pre-Hajj operation will complete on November 21, 2009 while the Post-Hajj operation will commence on December 2, 2009. For the convenience of the pilgrims, PIA has made special arrangements to provide complimentary suitcases before departure in Hajji Camps through Ministry of Religious Affairs.-PR