Pakistan launches month-long pre-Hajj flight operation

A month-long pre-Hajj flight operation kicked off on May 9 in Pakistan, aiming to transport around 70,105 individuals from major cities to the holy cities of Madinah and Makkah as part of a government initiative. The operation is set to conclude with the final flight arriving at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on Monday morning.

This year, a total of 160,000 Pakistani pilgrims are preparing to undertake the religious obligation of Hajj. Among them, 70,000 will be arriving through the government scheme, while approximately 90,000 will be coming via private Hajj Groups Organizers (HGOs).

Official data indicates that over 63,321 pilgrims have already reached Saudi Arabia through the private scheme, with the rest expected to arrive before the start of Hajj on June 14. Hajj, a fundamental pillar of Islam, requires every financially and physically capable adult Muslim to make the pilgrimage to the holy Islamic sites in Makkah at least once in their lifetime.

As Saudi Arabia prepares for Hajj 2024, more than 1.9 million pilgrims worldwide, including 160,000 from Pakistan, are projected to participate in the pilgrimage this year. With the Saudi government's meticulous arrangements in place, a spiritually enriching journey awaits the pilgrims, involving seeking forgiveness for sins and invoking blessings from Allah Almighty.