Post-Hajj Operations Begin In Pakistan

Islamabad, Nov 1, IRNA -- Post-Hajj operations in Pakistan has started and several flights of Hujjaj have returned from Saudi Arabia, officials have said. A total number of 94,019 Pakistanis performed Hajj this year under government and private schemes. The state-owned Pakistan International Airlines and private airlines are conducting the post-Hajj operation. The private airlines have already started airlifting the pilgrims from Saudi Arabia and PIA will commence on Wednesday, a PIA spokesman, Syed Sultan Hassan said. He said the first post-Hajj flight of PIA from Jeddah will reach Lahore at 8.30 a.m. on Wednesday carrying 500 Hujjaj. Meanwhile the first post-Hajj flight from Jeddah will also reach Karachi on Wednesday at 11.30 a.m. with 503 Hujjaj on board. A private airline also brought pilgrims to Islamabad on Tuesday, officials said. Relatives received the pilgrims on arrival, who presented them flowers and greeted them on performing religious duty. PIA’s flights would land at Quetta, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Karachi from Jeddah in the coming days. Expressing satisfaction over the smooth conduct of post-Haj flight operation, officials hoped that the post-Haj flight operation would be completed within the prescribed time. “The successful and timely completion of pre and post-Haj flights operation will be a big achievement of the ministry of religious affairs,” they added. But some returnees complained about hours of delay in the flights. The post-Hajj operation will continue for a month, officials said. Saudi authorities gifted copies of the Holy Quran with its translation and copies of religious guidance books at 13 exit points in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia./end