On Saturday, Pakistan International Airline (PIA) started operating Hajj flights from Karachi.
The chief operating officer of the national flag carrier said goodbye to the first Hajj aircraft, which departed for Madina at 3:30 am from Karachi, according to a PIA official.
The airline was providing flights for the pilgrims from airports in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, and other locations, according to the spokeswoman. The Hajj operation would run till June 10.
On May 3, the Ministry of Religious Affairs declared that on the first day of the regular operation, Pakistan would conduct 11 special flights to carry 2,160 Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. These passengers would include 670 from Lahore via three flights, 330 from Karachi via two flights, 680 from Islamabad via three flights, and 329 from Multan via two flights.
