ISLAMABAD, Jan 12: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has so far airlifted about 51,000 Haj pilgrims to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by 151 flights.

A message received here on Monday quoted the PIA general manager for Saudi Arabia, Nisar Saleem, as having said that 121 additional staff members were helping the pre-Haj operation and another batch of 454 would join them for the post-Haj operation.

Talking to reporters, Mr Saleem said that the airline would be carrying 111,572 pilgrims by 323 flights from five gateways in Pakistan - Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta - for the Haj.

He said that the airline has provided an umbrella and Abaya to women and an umbrella and Ahram to the men for Haj. "A ten-litre can of Aab-i-Zamzam will be handed over to every Haji as a gift on their return," he added.

The PIA general manager said neighbouring countries were also using the PIA flights during Haj season. About PIA's performance regarding Umra operation, he said PIA started Umra operation on Aug 29, last year, and brought 35,000 pilgrims by 96 flights to Jeddah and took 25,000 back to Pakistan by 54 flights.

The remaining pilgrims travelled on scheduled flights, he added. The PIA introduced new system of issuing pre-boarding cards which proved very convenient both for pilgrims and the airline.

He informed that 12 senior officers from Pakistan joined the PIA team in Jeddah to facilitate the Umra operation. Giving details of PIA flights to Delhi, Dhaka, Kathmandu and Kuala Lumpur, he said transit period at Karachi airport would be an attraction for the passengers. He said full operation to the routes would commence after Haj when the PIA would get relief from the present pressure.-APP