Hajj operation 2025: First flights depart for Saudi Arabia

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Hajj operation for 2025 officially kicked off on Tuesday with the first flight PK-713 departing Islamabad International Airport for Madinah early in the morning. The flight carried 393 pilgrims.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf and Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Maliki saw off the pilgrims.

PIA CEO Air Vice Marshal Aamir Hayat was also present. During the ceremony, the minister was briefed on the “Road to Makkah” immigration project, which allows pilgrims to complete Saudi immigration at Islamabad and Karachi airports before departure.

Later in the day, Quetta’s first Hajj flight, PK-7201, took off around 9:30 AM with 150 pilgrims on board. From Multan, PIA’s flight PK-715 carrying 393 pilgrims is scheduled to depart at 8:15 PM. Meanwhile, from Karachi, Serene Air’s ER-1611, with 285 pilgrims, is set to leave for Saudi Arabia at 9:30 PM.

Two-day FDI digital forum begins tomorrow

From Lahore, another Hajj flight, PK-747, carrying 329 pilgrims, departed for Madinah at 10:15 PM.

On the first day, six flights from Islamabad, Quetta, Multan, Karachi, and Lahore are transporting pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

This year, PIA, Serene Air, Airblue, AirSial, and Saudi Airlines are jointly conducting the Hajj operation. For the first 15 days, flights will mainly take pilgrims to Madinah; later, flights will shift to Jeddah.

PIA plans to transport approximately 35,200 government-sponsored pilgrims through over 117 special flights. Islamabad will handle the largest number of departures, with around 28,400 pilgrims flying out through 100 scheduled flights.

The pre-Hajj operation will continue till May 31. The return flights will begin from June 10 and conclude by July 10.