Hajj flights to begin from 21st from Peshawar,

Peshawar (13 October 2009) national airline PIA will begin Hajj flights from October 21 from the provincial capital Peshawar for which a high-level meeting has been convened to devise security plan for airport and Haji camp. The return flights from Saudi Arabia are scheduled to start on December 2 that will end on January 2.

The Hajj flights will carry 1, 26,000 pilgrims in 296 flights from across the country. The first flight from Peshawar and Islamabad will be on October 21.

Special flights will also carry pilgrims from Lahore, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Sialkot, Reheemyar Khan, Islamabad, Karachi and Sukkur.

Under private and government Hajj scheme more than 50,000 people will go for Hajj from the city.

Training to the intending pilgrims and vaccination against various diseases was also underway while people were also directed to reach Hajj camp 10 hours before their departure.

PIA first time starting flights from Sialkot on November 13 and Around 3,500 Hajj pilgrims in eight flights will travel from Sialkot to Jeddah.

PIA will provide free suitcases to the pilgrims and they will be allowed to carry back 10-litre Aab-e-Zamzam with them