ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s Hajj flight operation was completed on Tuesday as 83,312 pilgrims were airlifted to Saudi Arabia.
Director-general of Hajj in Jeddah Abrar Ahmed Mirza told a foreign media outlet that the Hajj flight operation was completed successfully. Kingdom earlier allowed nearly 81,000 pilgrims for this year’s Hajj, which was later increased by 2,000.
Ahmed mentioned that said nearly 40 percent of pilgrims had traveled under the government scheme while nearly 48,000 traveled through private operators.
DG Hajj added that 52 flights had utilized the Route to Makkah facility, an initiative by Saudi authorities aimed at the completion of Saudi immigration and customs-related formalities before the departure of the pilgrims to perform Hajj, at the Islamabad International Airport.
Pakistani pilgrims are now receiving training for greater pilgrimage to Mecca. Pilgrims flock to Islam’s holiest site for the first post-pandemic Hajj.
Over 55,700 Pakistani pilgrims reach Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2022
Saudi Arabia this year launched the ‘Road to Makkah’ initiative to facilitate Hajj pilgrims belonging to Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco, and Bangladesh.
Foreign citizens will perform Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia for the first time after a two-year absence, amid the kingdom’s stern policy during the Covid pandemic.
