According to Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), Pakistan will operate 42 flights to transport 14,007 Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia under the Road to Makkah initiative this year.
Under the Road to Makkah project, all immigration requirements of pilgrims are to be fulfilled at the airport of origin. This saves pilgrims several hours upon reaching the kingdom since they can just enter the country, having gone through immigration already at home.
These 42 flights will be operated from the Islamabad airport, where Pakistan implemented a pilot project in 2019. The Road to Makkah initiative also includes other Muslim countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia.