LAHORE, Dec 27: The inaugural haj flight, PK-1301, carrying 433 intending pilgrims, left for Jeddah from Lahore airport at 12.30pm on Saturday.
The intending pilgrims were seen off by Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool at a ceremony at Haj lounge of the airport. The governor urged them to pray for welfare and prosperity of the nation.
He said on this occasion the government would make available a piece of land to establish a fully-equipped Haji Camp in the city to facilitate the pilgrims from next year.
He said Islam preached Muslims to stand united and progress. He said the pilgrims should forget about hardships and devote themselves wholeheartedly to perform all rituals.
He also asked them to pray for law and order in the country. He remarked at this moment that God had saved the life of President Gen Pervez Musharraf in an attack, which was a near miss.
Earlier, Director Haj (Lahore) Muhammad Farogh Aftab said the directorate had made arrangements to facilitate 36,000 intending pilgrims, who would leave for Jeddah from the Lahore airport. These pilgrims would be transported by 87 flights till Jan 26 next year, he added.
The aspirants, he said, had also been given training on the haj rituals and vaccinated against meningitis at the camp. He also said a medical mission and medicines had already been sent to Saudi Arabia to take care of the pilgrims.
Mr Aftab also informed the governor that the Haji Camp was currently functioning at an Evacuee Trust’s building and lacking proper facilities. He said the government should help establish a permanent Haji Camp to mitigate pilgrims’ hardships.
Allama Iqbal International Airport Director Nusratullah Khan said the Civil Aviation Authority had made elaborate arrangements and helped establish office of all line departments, banks and agencies to facilitate pilgrims. He said the CAA would ensure that all haj flights should take off at the right time.
Punjab auqaf secretary Javed Iqbal Awan, PIA deputy managing director Farooq H Shah, PIA Punjab general-manager Tallat Omar and other officials were also present on the occasion.
It is pertinent to mention that PIA alone will operate 320 special haj flights from Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta to transport 111,572 pilgrims to Jeddah. The pre-haj flight operation will conclude on Jan 26, while the post-haj operation will begin on Feb 5 and conclude on March 6. A PIA spokesman said the national flag carrier had ensured a hassle-free and smooth operation this year with an emphasis on better coordination, adequate and streamlined handling facilities and the provision of special coordination cell at Jeddah.
LAHORE, Dec 27: The inaugural haj flight, PK-1301, carrying 433 intending pilgrims, left for Jeddah from Lahore airport at 12.30pm on Saturday.
