ISLAMABAD, Oct 20 2009: Managing Director Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Captain Muhammad Ejaz Haroon will see off the first batch of 468 intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia here on Wednesday. PIA?s first Haj flight PK-7303 carrying 468 pilgrims would leave for Saudi Arabia from Benazir International Airport at 7:30 pm, official sources told APP Tuesday.
They said on first day of the Haj operation about 793 pilgrims would be airlifted to the holy place by two PIA flights each from Islamabad and Peshawar.
PIA?s second flight PK-1905 would fly from Peshawar with 325 intending pilgrims onboard at 9:25 pm on the same day.
Regular flights would commence in other cities to ferry as many as 160,000 Hujjaj under the government and private schemes from October 22, which would continue till November 21.
PIA and Saudi Airlines would operate about 356 flights to complete the first phase, while the post-Hajj operation is scheduled to be completed from December 2 to January 2.
The sources said the national airline would gift suitcases to intending Haj pilgrims travelling by PIA.
PIA has requested the pilgrims to clearly write their complete names, address on the suitcases so that they could easily be identified during travel.
Each pilgrim would be allowed to take with him free baggage upto 32Kg and hand carry not exceeding seven kg. Excess baggage if any would be charged at the rate of 15 Saudi Riyals per Kg. Each Haji would be allowed a 10-liter Aabe-Zam-Zam bottle on return.
Meanwhile, Joint Secretary (Hajj) Ministry of Religious Affairs, Aftab-ul-Islam Raja told APP that elaborate arrangements have been made to provide medical facilities to Pakistani pilgrims in Saudi Arabia during Haj.
He informed that medicines about worth Rs. 18 million would be provided at 12 medical centres set up in Saudi Arabia to ensure provision of all necessary medical care to Pakistanis.
As many as 260 paramedical staff including specialist doctors in Makkah and Madina have already reached their respective dispensaries. While, the main medical mission is located at Pakistan House, near Haram, with a capacity of about 30 beds, he added.
