ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has successfully concluded its 34-day Hajj flight operation, transporting pilgrims to the holy cities of Makkah and Medina under the government’s official Hajj scheme.
It is reported that the last Hajj flight PK-741 was taken out from Lahore for the transport of 290 people to Jeddah. The first flight of the current season left Lahore on April 18.
The total number of Hajj flights reached 468 while the number of pilgrims was 119,076; 186 flights flew to Medina and 282 flights to Jeddah. Flights took place from eight cities in Pakistan:
Islamabad: 129 flights
Karachi: 124 flights
Lahore: 104 flights
Multan: 34 flights
Sialkot: 26 flights
Faisalabad: 23 flights
Quetta: 18 flights
Sukkur: 5 flights
Out of them, there were 67,230 men and 51,846 women.
Flights for this year’s Hajj were made by PIA, Saudi Airlines, and other private airlines to ensure the smooth process of traveling for Pakistani pilgrims.
Hajj 2026: Details of Qurbani costs for Pakistani pilgrims revealed
Meanwhile, Pakistani pilgrims are expected to spend approximately Rs 9.54 billion on Qurbani (animal sacrifice) during the upcoming Hajj season, according to official estimates.
The sources further stated that in total terms, this figure would amount to 120.9 million Saudi riyals.
According to official estimates, 179,210 Pakistanis would be performing Hajj this year while every pilgrim is required to make arrangements for at least one Qurbani (animal sacrifice). The cost per person has been fixed at 720 Saudi riyals, or about Rs 53,000.
It should be mentioned here that 119,210 pilgrims would be performing Hajj under the government Hajj scheme incurring an expenditure of about Rs 6.34 billion on Qurbani rituals.
On the other hand, the estimated expense on Qurbani rituals of 60,000 pilgrims traveling under the private Hajj scheme would amount to about 43.2 million Saudi riyals or Rs 3.19 billion.
The officials pointed out that these figures pertained only to the expense on Qurbani rituals and were distinct from other expenditures on Hajj.
