ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry said on Wednesday the country’s Hajj flight operations to Madinah had ended, while flights carrying pilgrims to Jeddah en route to Makkah would continue until June 21. 

Pakistan launched a special flight operation for aspiring Hajjis on May 22. The first group of flights were directed to Madinah, where people performing Hajj under the government scheme spent approximately eight days before traveling onwards to Makkah. Flights to Jeddah started this week.

This January, Saudi Arabia reinstated Pakistan’s pre-pandemic Hajj quota, allowing 179,210 pilgrims from the South Asian country to participate in the annual Islamic religious ritual. The kingdom also removed the upper age limit of 65 years.

Out of Pakistan’s total Hajj quota, approximately 80,000 pilgrims will undertake the spiritual journey through a government scheme, while the remaining are using private tour operators.

“The series of flights from Pakistan to Madinah has ended,” the religious affairs ministry said in a statement released on Wednesday. “All government Hajj flights will now land in Jeddah until June 21.”

“The arrival of private Hajj scheme pilgrims has also begun, with more than 3,000 pilgrims reaching Makkah.” 

So far, over 46,000 Pakistani pilgrims have already arrived in the kingdom, with approximately 30,000 of them in Makkah and 16,000 in Madinah.

On Tuesday, the government announced the establishment of a central control room in Makkah, overseen by its Hajj mission.

“The control room will manage transportation from Jeddah airport to Makkah, as well as other logistics in Makkah and Madinah such as residence management, medical facilities, food, and other necessities,” Muhammad Umer Butt, a ministry spokesperson, told Arab News from Saudi Arabia.

The government has also made other special arrangements, including the establishment of two hospitals and twelve dispensaries in Makkah and Madinah, to ensure the well-being of pilgrims.