18 November 2004	Thursday	05 Shawwal 1425

ISLAMABAD, Nov 17: The ongoing operation to airlift 20,000 stranded Pakistanis will be completed within a week, managing director of PIA Ch Ahmad Saeed said on Wednesday.

"The accusations on PIA regarding mismanagement are not true. In fact, PIA had no idea that visas would be issued till last moment. Maximum possible flights have been arranged to airlift Umrah pilgrims to Pakistan," he said.

Giving reasons of the mess at Jeddah, the MD said every pilgrim wants to spend the night of 27th of Ramazan at Mecca despite confirmation of ticket. Everybody wants to return home two days before Eid.

"I am myself monitoring the situation and striving to bring back all the stranded pilgrims within a shortest possible time. Indeed, the PIA has transported 62,000 Umrah pilgrims to the holy land this year as compared to 28,000 last year.

Elderly, as well as poor people who could not afford to live any more in Jeddah were being brought back on a priority basis. Till now about 40,000 pilgrims have already been brought back to Pakistan.

A total of 75 flights (24 regular and 51 special) are busy in bringing back the stranded Umrah pilgrims. Tour operators have also aggravated the situation by offering two and three days Umrah packages. -APP