SUKKUR: Sukkur Commissioner Mohammed Abbas Baloch on Monday presided over a meeting held in his office to review arrangements for Haj pilgrims and operation of flights from Sukkur airport.

Senior officials of the PIA, CAA, ASF, FIA, ANF, Civil Defence and Customs as well as Haj and Auqaf, health and other relevant departments and utilities attended the meeting.

The meeting was told that a total of 988 pilgrims would leave for Karachi from Sukkur for their onward journey to Jeddah to perform Haj this year.

The national flag carrier plans to operate six special flights to Karachi from Begum Nusrat Bhutto Airport, Sukkur. Each flight will have the capacity to carry 180 passengers.

The meeting was informed that the first flight would depart from the airport on Sept 3 and the last one on Sept 8.

The government employees intending to perform Haj would have to produce an NoC (No objection certificate), duly issued by their respective department, before boarding their flight, it was noted.

The Sukkur additional commissioner-I was nominated as the focal person to supervise the Haj arrangements.

The meeting was informed that the police, the Airport Security Force and other law-enforcement agencies would devise a joint security plan to ensure safety and security of the pilgrims at the Haji Camp and the airport.

A welcome camp would also be set-up at the airport where proper arrangements for seating, drinking water and cleanliness would be made.

In view of security and other issues, the pilgrims are required to reach the Haji Camp at least four hours before the time of their flight. They are supposed to possess their CNICs, Haj passport and vaccination card. All those using essential medicines are required to posses the relevant prescriptions and produce before doctors, to be posted at the Haji Camp to issue necessary certificates. Polio drops will also be administered at the camp.

The commissioner asked the deputy commissioners to ensure availability of electricity and lights, water, fire brigade and health facilities at the camp during the Sept 3-8 period and deployment of police along the route of the pilgrims from the camp to the airport until the completion of the flight operation.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2014