KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Pre-Hajj operation of transporting over 82,000 intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia successfully completed.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) PIA, Air Marshal Arshad Malik congratulated PIA Hajj team for successfully completing Pre-Hajj operation, said a spokesperson of PIA on Monday.

The CEO had directed the PIA officials to provide best services to the Hujjaj.

The national flag-carrier carried more than 82,000 intending pilgrims through 290 Hajj and Regular scheduled flights.

The operation was carried out from eight cities including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, Sialkot and Faisalabad.

Convenient connections were also provided from Sukkur and Rahim Yar Khan making it to ten points in total.

The flight punctuality remained around 90 percent.

PIA conducted the pre-Hajj operation by utilizing its own aircraft without leasing any aircraft which certainly saved significantly the airline expenses.

PIA carried 20,766 intending pilgrims from Karachi, 16,095 from Islamabad, 15,272 from Lahore, 4,707 from Multan, 1,889 from Faisalabad, 4,607 from Sialkot, 10,609 from Peshawar and 8,324 intending pilgrims from Quetta.

PIA Post-Hajj operation of bringing back the Hujjaj from Saudi Arabia will commence from August 17 and conclude on September 14, 2019.