Hajj operations resumed after a hiatus
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The PIA on Saturday night resumed its Hajj operation, which was greatly affected due intermittent closures of airspace since May 7 after the start of a brief war between Pakistan and India.
After announcement of a ceasefire on Saturday evening, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) issued a notice to airmen (Notam) announcing that the country's airspace had been fully restored for all types of flights
According to the PAA spokesperson, all airports across the country were available for normal flight operations. "Passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines for the latest flight schedules," he added.
Later, the PIA spokesperson also confirmed the restoration of flight operations.
He said PIA flight PK-750 from Paris to Islamabad, which had earlier landed in Quetta, was scheduled to depart for Islamabad at 9 pm on Saturday. Other PIA operations were also resumed from 10pm.
"Passengers who had returned home or were accommodated in hotels are being contacted and called back to the airport. Aircraft and equipment that were moved to safe locations as a precaution are also being returned to the operational area," the statement said.
The PIA spokesperson apologized for the inconvenience caused to passengers due to the airspace closure and flight disruptions, stating that the precaution was necessary in light of the situation.
After the reopening of airspace, Hajj flights were also resumed on Saturday night.
A total of 10 Hajj flights were suspended due to Pakistan-India tensions, including three flights on Saturday. As a result, 2,290 pilgrims were unable to depart for the holy land. Of these, 7 flights belonged to Saudi Airlines and 3 to PIA.
Hajj operations from Lahore, Islamabad, Multan, Peshawar, and Karachi have now resumed.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs has already sent 1,277 of the affected pilgrims via special PIA flights. The remaining 1,013 pilgrims will be sent in the coming days, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Religious Affairs said in a statement.
He said all Hajj flights will now proceed to Saudi Arabia as per schedule. So far, 19,669 Pakistani pilgrims have reached Saudi Arabia. The spokesperson urged pilgrims to stay in contact with their respective Haji Camps for information on Hajj flight schedules.
As of Friday, approximately 450 flights to and from Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi, and other major airports had been affected. These included flights for Hajj pilgrims as well as those to and from Dubai, Doha, Sharjah, Kuala Lumpur, Madina, Riyadh, Turkey, Canada, Europe, Abu Dhabi, and other destinations.
The sudden and repeated closure and reopening of airspace over Lahore, Sialkot, Islamabad, Multan, and Karachi by the PAA created serious challenges for thousands of passengers, with both domestic and international airlines forced to reschedule dozens of flights.
Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport, which handles over 50 flights daily, saw 80% of its operations affected. The repeated airspace closures had been particularly troublesome for Hajj pilgrims, who had to wait for hours in ihram at the airport.
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