ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will begin its post-Hajj flight operations to bring back over 83,000 pilgrims from Saudi Arabia from today, Thursday, confirmed the spokesperson of the country’s national airline. 

Up to one million pilgrims from all parts of the world performed the annual Islamic pilgrimage, Hajj, after Saudi Arabia lifted coronavirus restrictions for the first time in two years. 

Pilgrims were required to be vaccinated and under 65 years of age. 

The kingdom allotted Pakistan a quota of 83,132 pilgrims this year out of which 34,453 availed the government’s Hajj scheme while over 48,000 performed Hajj through private operators. 

“The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) post-Hajj flight operation starts on July 14,” Abdullah Hafeez Khan, spokesperson of Pakistan’s national airline PIA, told Arab News. “PIA will bring back over 28,000 pilgrims to Pakistan in more than 154 post-Hajj flights,” he added. 

Of these 28,000 pilgrims, Khan said 17,200 had availed the government’s Hajj scheme while 10,800 had gone on the pilgrimage through private operators. He said PIA’s post-Hajj flight operation will conclude on August 13. 

Pilgrims who performed the Hajj through the government scheme would be facilitated with their boarding cards and baggage before arriving at the airport, Khan said. 

“We have started a city check-in facility for the first time in both Makkah and Madinah. Their [pilgrims] boarding cards and luggage check-in will be done at their residence in groups with the help of the Hajj mission officials,” he said. 

Khan said the facility would save a lot of time for pilgrims, who previously had to arrive at the airport 12 hours before their flights departed. 

Pilgrims who went to the kingdom on the government’s Hajj scheme will arrive in Pakistan from Friday, confirmed Muhammad Umar Butt, a spokesperson of Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry. 

 “The process of the return of pilgrims under the government scheme will start from July 15 with the two Airblue flights that will carry a total of 414 pilgrims from Jeddah to Multan and Lahore,” he told Arab News. 

 He said that 134 flights of PIA, Airblue, Serene Air, and Saudi Airlines will take part in the post-Hajj flights operation for pilgrims who went to the kingdom on the government’s scheme. 

 The departure of pilgrims from Makkah to Madinah will begin on July 17, he said, while the first Hajj flight from Madinah to Pakistan will start on July 25. 

 “A total of 17,000 pilgrims will come back from Madinah while another 17,000 will return from Makkah,” Butt added.