ISLAMABAD (PEN) : Pakistan has launched its post-Hajj flight operation today to facilitate the safe and timely return of 88,390 pilgrims from Saudi Arabia. The operation will run until July 10, involving 342 flights coordinated between national, private, and Saudi airlines.
Initial Flights Scheduled Across Major Pakistani Cities
The first repatriation flight departed from Jeddah on Tuesday evening and is scheduled to land at Islamabad International Airport at 3:50 a.m. on Wednesday. Following this, a second flight is expected to arrive at Islamabad by 9:10 a.m.
Several other flights are planned to reach different airports across the country on June 11, including Lahore, Multan, and Karachi. The schedule includes a third flight landing in Lahore at 11:50 a.m., a fourth in Islamabad at 12:10 p.m., a fifth in Multan at 12:35 p.m., a sixth in Karachi at 1:35 p.m., and a seventh flight returning to Lahore at 2:30 p.m. An eighth flight is also planned to land in Islamabad early on June 12 at 5:20 a.m.
Government Coordination and Gratitude
The large-scale operation is managed under a government scheme aimed at ensuring an organized repatriation process for the pilgrims who performed Hajj this year. The coordination involves Pakistan’s national carriers alongside private and Saudi airlines to manage the high volume of returning pilgrims efficiently.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended his congratulations to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman for the successful and exceptional management of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage. In a message posted on X (formerly Twitter), the prime minister expressed gratitude for the efforts to make the spiritual journey comfortable and memorable for Pakistani pilgrims.
