ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) on Sunday dismissed media reports claiming the ongoing Middle East war has prompted Islamabad to delay or suspend Hajj flights, assuring citizens that arrangements for the pilgrimage are proceeding as per the planned schedule.
Religious affairs minister said earlier this month that the country has finalized arrangements for this year’s Hajj and that the first flight will leave for Saudi Arabia on Apr. 18.
The ongoing Middle East war involving the US, Israel and Iran has affected key air corridors and forced airlines to cancel or reroute thousands of flights.
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“The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has rejected media reports claiming that the Hajj flight schedule may be suspended due to the prevailing situation in the Middle East, stating that such reports are baseless and misleading,” a statement from the ministry’s spokesperson said.
The statement noted that some sections of the media had published reports linking the Hajj flight schedule with regional tensions in the Middle East, adding that these claims have “no factual basis.”
The spokesperson clarified that no decision has been taken about any delay or suspension of Hajj flights. He added that the process of issuing visas to pilgrims is currently underway, while other administrative arrangements are also being completed to ensure departure-related formalities are finalized in time.
“The spokesperson further stated that the official Hajj flight schedule will be announced after Eid-Al-Fitr,” the statement said.
“At that stage, pilgrims will be provided complete details regarding their flights, accommodation in Makkah and Madinah, and other relevant arrangements.”
According to the religious affairs ministry, 179,210 pilgrims from Pakistan will perform Hajj this year. Of these, 119,210 pilgrims will travel under the government scheme, while 60,000 will go through private tour operators.
Multiple airlines, including the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Saudia, will operate Hajj flights.
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