ISLAMABAD –A month-long pre-Hajj flight operation, which began on May 9 to transport approximately 70,105 people from major Pakistani cities to the holy cities of Madinah and Makkah under the government scheme, will conclude with the arrival of the final flight at King Abdulaziz International Airport Jeddah today (Monday).
According to the schedule, a Saudi Airlines SV-3727 would depart Islamabad International Airport for Jeddah at 3 a.m. (PST) with 380 passengers – the final batch of Pakistani pilgrims under the government scheme.
This year, 160,000 Pakistani pilgrims will perform the religious obligation of Hajj, with 70,000 arriving through the government scheme and approximately 90,000 via private Hajj Group
Official statistics show that approximately 63,321 pilgrims have already arrived in Saudi Arabia through the private scheme, with the remainder expected to arrive before the start of Hajj on June 14, the 8th of Zilhajj.
Hajj, one of Islam’s five pillars, requires every financially and physically capable adult Muslim to make the pilgrimage to Makkah’s holy Islamic sites at least once in their lives.
As the Saudi government finalizes plans for Hajj 2024, over 1.9 million pilgrims worldwide, including 160,000 from Pakistan, are expected to participate this year.
With the Saudi government’s elaborate preparations in place, the pilgrims will embark on a spiritual journey of a lifetime, communing with Allah Almighty, seeking forgiveness for their sins and invoking His blessings.
