Hajj flights from Islamabad begins

ISLAMABAD: First two flights under the government Hajj scheme — as part of the Road to Mecca project — took off for Medina from Islamabad International Airport at 3:30 am on Monday.

A second flight will depart from Islamabad at 8:00 pm tonight. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to come to the airport to see off the pilgrims.

According to a Ministry of Religious Affairs spokesperson, 32,000 pilgrims will fly to Saudi Arabia through 106 flights.

The spokesperson said 42 flights will be operated from Islamabad.

An AirBlue flight, PA-467, left for Medina from Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore on Sunday at 1:55 pm carrying 220 pilgrims.

Punjab governor, Auqaf and Religious Affairs Department director general Tahir Raza Bukhari were among those who saw off the flight.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs said flight operations from Faisalabad may be announced as per the demand.

All flights from Peshawar have been rerouted to Islamabad.