SIALKOT, Nov 13 The Pakistan International Airlines' first Haj flight from Sialkot took 468 pilgrims to Jeddah on Friday.

Sialkot International Airport General Manager Muhammad Saleem Chaudhry said 4,500 pilgrims from Sialkot and suburbs would fly to Saudi Arabia from here.

He said PIA would operate eight Haj flights from Sialkot till Nov 21. He said the airport was the most convenient place for pilgrims from Sialkot and suburbs compared to Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar or Karachi.

He said the airport was already operating international passenger and cargo flights to Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Masqat and Sharjah.

PIA Managing Director Ejaz Haroon said the airport was an example of industrialists and businessmen's resilience. He said there was no need to look toward the government for infrastructure development if businessmen could undertake such big projects.—Correspondent