Hajj 2024: Three aircraft carry Pakistani pilgrims to Saudi Arabia

According to specifics, three planes with a combined total of 530 Pakistani travellers touched down in Madina Munawara for the Hajj 2024 ceremonies.

A third aircraft, which left from Islamabad with 200 pilgrims, also arrived in Saudi Arabia. Two flights from Karachi, carrying 179 and 151 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims, landed in Madina.

At the Madina airport, the Pakistani Envoy to Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Farooq, DG Hajj, Abdul Wahab Soomro, Director Hajj Madina, Ziaur Rehman, and Director of Cooperation and Facilitation, Ahmed Nadeem, greeted the pilgrims.

Commencing today, May 9, the flying operation will last until June 10, 2024.

The spokesperson said that this year, PIA will be offering direct flights from eight Pakistani cities—Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Multan, Quetta, Sialkot, and Sukkur—to Jeddah and Madina.

A PIA representative announced the travel schedule, claiming that from May 09 to June 10, 2024, 170 flights will carry around 34,000 pilgrims.

A representative for the national airline verified that 15,000 private pilgrims and 19,000 pilgrims from the government programme will fly via the PIA.

One of the fifth pillars of Islam is the Hajj, a holy pilgrimage. Millions of Muslims from all over the world journey to Makkah, Saudi Arabia, each year to complete the Hajj.

Every year, at the same time, it occurs in the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar, Dhul Hijjah, which is a holy month. The Hajj starts on the eighth day of Dhul Hijjah and lasts for five to six days, depending on when the moon is visible.

Muslims celebrate Eidul Adha, a four-day festival, when they see the new crescent moon.