ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) launched its pre-Hajj flight operations on Sunday, the airline said in a statement, with its first flight carrying 390 pilgrims arriving in Madinah from Sialkot.
Pakistan launched pre-Hajj flights to the Kingdom on Saturday, with the first flight under Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route Initiative departing from Lahore.
The airline’s first Hajj flight, PK-747, departed from the eastern city of Sialkot at 1:55 a.m. on Saturday night for Madinah, the PIA said.
“All necessary arrangements for serving the pilgrims have been completed, and the CEO of PIA has issued instructions to all teams to ensure that no negligence occurs in serving Hajj pilgrims,” the airline said in a statement.
Another PIA flight, PK-4003, will depart for Madinah from the eastern city of Faisalabad at 11:05 a.m. on Sunday with more than 150 pilgrims, the airline said.
Hajj pilgrims sit at Islamabad Airport, waiting for their flight on April 19, 2026. (Pakistan Ministry of Religious Affairs)
The PIA said it will transport more than 55,000 Hajj pilgrims this year to the Kingdom via 191 flights. Of these, it said 49,000 will be transported via the government scheme while the remaining 6,000 will be transported through private tour operators.
The PIA said that for its Hajj operation, direct flights will be operated from Pakistan’s Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Quetta cities.
The airline will transport more than 15,400 pilgrims from Islamabad to Saudi Arabia via 46 flights, the PIA said, while over 15,000 pilgrims will travel via 55 flights from Karachi.
From Lahore, the PIA said 12,377 pilgrims will be sent to Saudi Arabia for the pre-Hajj flight operation.
“PIA’s pre-Hajj operation will, god willing, conclude on May 21,” the airline said.
Pakistan has been allotted a quota of over 179,000 pilgrims by Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.
Islamabad has vowed it will ensure the best possible facilities for Hajj pilgrims in coordination with Saudi authorities.
