Pakistan so far only transported pilgrims performing Hajj under official scheme to Madinah People traveling straight to Makkah will have 8-day stay in Madinah after completing Hajj ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will start operating direct Hajj flights to Makkah from Monday, the country’s religious affairs ministry has announced. The Pakistani government began transporting pilgrims to Saudi Arabia under the official Hajj scheme on May 21. However, the flights have only been going to Madinah. Many Pakistani worshippers in the Kingdom are now making their way to Makkah by bus as the annual Islamic pilgrimage, due to begin on June 26, draws near. In a statement, the ministry said: “The first direct flights from Pakistan to Jeddah airport are scheduled to begin on June 5.” The flights to Makkah will be operated from 10 cities in Pakistan, including Rahim Yar Khan, and Sukkur, state-owned news agency the Associated Press of Pakistan reported. Pilgrims traveling direct to Makkah, will have an eight-day stay in Madinah after completing Hajj. Pakistan will launch a post-Hajj return flight operation on July 4. In January, Saudi Arabia restored Pakistan’s pre-coronavirus pandemic Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims and removed the upper age limit of 65. The country plans to send 80,000 people to perform the pilgrimage under the government scheme this year, while the rest will use private tour operators.