RAWALPINDI, Jan 2: A contingency plan has been prepared to handle Haj flights originating from Lahore and Peshawar at Islamabad airport in case adverse weather hampered the flight operation at the two airports, Civil Aviation Authority officials said on Thursday.

Thick fog during winter usually disturbs flights at the two airports with visibility decreasing to almost zero per cent. In the past few years, the fog, lasting two to three weeks, particularly during January, has become a regular phenomenon in Lahore. Only on Wednesday, all flights from Lahore had to be cancelled due to thick fog blanketing the city.

The CAA zonal manager (north), Air Cmdr Shahid Naveed (retired), speaking at a briefing on Hajj arrangements made by the authority, said if the weather conditions deteriorated, the intending pilgrims might be brought to Islamabad by road to board their flights for the holy land.

As many as 22,384 intending pilgrims will embark on the pilgrimage and return to the country after performing Haj at Islamabad International Airport, he said.

The zonal manager said these pilgrims would be flown to the holy land and brought back by the Pakistan International Airlines and the Saudi Airlines.

The national flag carrier will be carrying 92 per cent of the passenger load (20,784 pilgrims) through 48 special flights, while the Saudi Airlines will transport the remaining 1,600 pilgrims on four scheduled flights.

The pre-Hajj operation will commence on January 6 and the first Hajj flight, carrying 433 passengers, is to depart at 1:15am. Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali will be seeing off the first flight from Islamabad. The pre-Hajj operation will conclude on February 5.

The post-Hajj operation will commence on February 15 and continue till March 18.

The CAA zonal manager said all details and religious requirements were being looked into to facilitate the pilgrims and make their brief stay at the Islamabad airport comfortable.

He said arrangements had been made to guide the pilgrims about Hajj rituals through video displays. “We have also made arrangements to guide the intending women pilgrims about different issues specifically related to them through women counsellors,” he added.

The whole operation, Mr Naveed said, was being effectively coordinated with other agencies concerned, including the Hajj directorate, Customs, Anti-Narcotics Force, immigration and Airport Security Force.

He said the CAA would be seeking special assistance from the law-enforcement agencies and armed forces, in addition to the existing security arrangements. Airport Manager Farooq Malik said the role of armed forces would be very limited and specific in nature.