First Hajj flight departs Islamabad under route to Makkah initiative

Pervaiz Mughal

ISLAMABAD: The first Hajj flight from Islamabad under the “Route to Makkah” project took off for Madinah carrying 270 Hajj pilgrims. Saudi Airlines flight SV-5723 departed from Islamabad International Airport at 11 am, with which Hajj 2026 air operations from Islamabad officially started.
On the occasion of departure, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yusuf, Saudi Deputy Head of Mission Muhammad Al Ali and Joint Secretary Hajj Muhammad Bakhsh Sangi, Civil Aviation Authority, Anti-Narcotics Force, Airline representatives saw off the pilgrims. A special function was also organized on this occasion in which the pilgrims were informed about the government’s initiatives to provide the best facilities.
Addressing the ceremony, Federal Minister Sardar Muhammad Yusuf said that pilgrims have been sent to Hijaz land with the first Hajj flight of 2026 today, which is the most memorable moment in the life of every Muslim. He said that the first priority of the government of Pakistan is to provide Haj pilgrims with comfort, dignity and ease of travel.
He paid great tribute to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiyyah and Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Maliki for providing excellent facilities for Hajj pilgrims. He also appreciated the improvement in Hajj arrangements under the Saudi Vision 2030.
Describing the “Route to Makkah” project as a revolutionary facility for the pilgrims, the federal minister said that under it, the Saudi immigration and other travel stages are being completed at the Islamabad Airport, due to which the pilgrims will be able to reach Saudi Arabia directly to their residences. He said that 36 thousand pilgrims from Islamabad, 29 thousand 800 from Karachi and 30 thousand pilgrims from Lahore for the first time will benefit from this facility, while a total of 95 thousand 800 Pakistani pilgrims will benefit from this modern system. Thus, about 80 percent of the total pilgrims will benefit from the “Route to Makkah”.
He said that Hajj arrangements have been further improved on the instructions of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Each of the 188 pilgrims is accompanied by a trained guide who will provide full guidance in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah. He said that every pilgrim will be provided with a free Saudi SIM upon arrival in Saudi Arabia, which will include internet data, local and international calling minutes.
According to the federal minister, 24,000 pilgrims will be provided with a high-speed train between Makkah and Madinah, while all government pilgrims will be accommodated in Madinah near Masjid Nabawi.
He said that Hajj is not only worship but a comprehensive process of spiritual training, so pilgrims should ensure patience, discipline and full compliance with Saudi laws. He also urged to follow the instructions of Khudam-ul-Hajjaj and play a positive role as the ambassador of Pakistan.
The federal minister expressed special gratitude to the Saudi leadership for the service of the pilgrims and said that the service of the pilgrims under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz has become an example worthy of emulation.