The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony announced on Friday that 345 pilgrims who were left behind due to the cancelled flights amid tensions between Pakistan and India were sent today from Islamabad via a special PIA flight.
In a statement, the ministry’s spokesperson said that the schedule of 13 Hajj flights was affected between May 7 and 9. Due to the temporary suspension of flight operations, the schedules of 3,080 Hajj pilgrims were affected, the spokesperson stated.
“During these three days, 4 Hajj flights were cancelled and 9 were delayed,” the statement said.
After India’s unprovoked airstrikes inside Pakistan on May 7, flight operations were either suspended or temporarily delayed due to security concerns.
On May 8, Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) announced that flight operations at Karachi, Lahore and Sialkot airports were temporarily suspended.
Meanwhile, the religious ministry’s spokesperson said that 540 pilgrims will also be sent from Islamabad and Lahore through special flights.
During May 7 and May 9, 4 Hajj flights were cancelled and 9 were delayed, according to the ministry’s spokesperson.
“Two Hajj flights each of Saudi Airlines from Islamabad and Lahore were cancelled.”
Three flights from Lahore, two each from Islamabad and Quetta, and one each from Multan and Karachi experienced delays,“ the spokesperson said.
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