ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs has established a helpline to assist Hajj pilgrims after a series of flight disruptions caused by the escalating tensions between Pakistan and India. A total of 13 Hajj flights were affected between May 7 and May 9, with four flights cancelled and nine delayed due to the ongoing conflict.
According to the Ministry’s spokesperson, Saudi Airlines had to cancel two flights from Islamabad and Lahore. Additionally, delays were reported for flights from Lahore (three), Islamabad (two), Quetta (two), as well as one each from Multan and Karachi. This disruption impacted the travel schedules of 3,080 pilgrims.
Despite the setbacks, most flights resumed after a few hours, allowing pilgrims to continue their journey. In a bid to address the issue, 345 pilgrims who had missed their flights due to cancellations were flown out from Islamabad on a special Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight. Furthermore, an additional 540 pilgrims are expected to depart on special flights from Islamabad and Lahore.
For timely updates, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has set up a helpline at 051-9216980. Pilgrims can use this service to get the latest information on their flight status.
Earlier, it was reported that over 450 domestic and international flights were affected by the airspace disruptions caused by the tensions between Pakistan and India. Despite this, Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority has maintained operational air routes from major airports, including Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and Sialkot.
