The Ministry of Religious Affairs has temporarily stopped preparing the Hajj flight schedule due to rising tensions following ongoing military strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel.
Officials said the uncertain regional situation could influence flight planning, although preparations for Hajj arrangements are continuing carefully while authorities monitor developments affecting travel operations.
Visa issuance for pilgrims has already started and continues day and night, with nearly two-thirds of intending pilgrims receiving their visas as officials process applications for around 120,000 travellers.
According to ministry officials, staff even cancelled weekend leave to speed up the visa process and ensure smooth arrangements for pilgrims ahead of the upcoming Hajj season.
Authorities said the complete Hajj schedule, including flights, accommodation bookings, and room allocations, is expected before Eid-ul-Fitr and will be available online and through the Pak Hajj mobile application.
Previous Schedule
The government had earlier announced a Hajj flight schedule, with the first journey originally set to depart on April 18, 2026, but this plan has now been put on hold due to rising regional tensions.
Flights from Karachi, Lahore, Sialkot, and Multan were scheduled for the opening day, and pilgrims were expected to receive their individual travel details last week.
Under the old plan, 468 flights were to transport around 119,000 pilgrims, with initial services heading to Medina and flights to Jeddah scheduled from May 4, 2026.
Hajj operations under the previous schedule would have covered eight Pakistani cities, including Islamabad (129 flights), Karachi (124), Lahore (104), Quetta (18), Multan (34), Sialkot (26), Faisalabad (23), and Sukkur (5).
Middle East Conflict Halts Global Air Travel
The ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran has severely disrupted air travel worldwide, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded as six major Middle Eastern carriers cancel thousands of flights daily.
Between March 1 and March 10, only about fifty flights managed to depart, resulting in a staggering total of 23,810 cancellations across airlines including Qatar Airways, Emirates, Kuwait Airways, Etihad, Flydubai, and Air Arabia.
These carriers, operating some of the most advanced aircraft like the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787, have faced billions of rupees in losses, while traditional peak travel periods for Umrah and Eid remain heavily affected.
Industry leaders warned that the prolonged disruption is exhausting travel agents, leaving non-refundable hotel bookings in limbo, and may require government intervention to prevent further economic damage to Pakistan’s aviation sector.
