Hajj flight operations resume, says religious affairs ministry
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony on Saturday confirmed full restoration of Pakistan's airspace for all types of flights, enabling the resumption of Hajj operations according to schedule.
In an exclusive talk with APP, the Ministry's spokesperson Muhammad Umar Butt informed that all Hajj flights will now depart for Saudi Arabia as per their original itinerary, following the temporary suspension of flight operations due to recent security concerns.
'Due to intermittent flight suspensions, a total of 10 Hajj flights were cancelled,' the spokesperson stated. These included three flights from Lahore, two from Islamabad, and one each from Karachi and Multan, he added. As a result of these cancellations, he said 2,290 pilgrims were affected; however, 1,277 pilgrims have already been accommodated and dispatched via special flights.
Umar Butt said efforts are currently underway to ensure that the remaining 1,013 pilgrims are also flown to Saudi Arabia at the earliest through additional special flight arrangements. He said that a total of 19,669 Pakistani pilgrims have successfully arrived in Saudi Arabia so far under the Hajj Operation 2025. The spokesperson advised all pilgrims to remain in contact with their respective Haji Camps for the latest updates and flight information.
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