KARACHI - The PIA pre-Haj operation of transporting intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia concluded successfully with overall flights punctuality of over 96 percent and seat factor of 99 percent.

A PIA spokesman said here on Saturday that the PIA carried 82,823 intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia through 196 flights from Pakistan; and 1,989 intending pilgrims through 04 charter flights from Rangoon.
While 9,207 intending pilgrims traveled through PIA regular scheduled flights; bringing the total to 94, 019 intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
The airline carried 9,931 intending pilgrims from Karachi through 20 flights, 17,347 through 35 flights from Islamabad, 17,462 through 35 flights from Lahore, 14,292 from Peshawar through 44 flights. PIA carried 13,294 from Quetta by 41 flights, 6,999 from Multan by 14 flights and 3,498 intending pilgrims from Sialkot by 07 flights.
The spokesman was of the view that on the satisfactory completion of pre-Haj flights, Managing Director PIA, Muhammad Junaid Yunus, in a message to the employees has commended their efforts for serving the intending Hajj pilgrims to their best satisfaction and according to the expectations of PIA Management.
He hoped that the PIA employees will continue the efforts in the same zeal in serving the Hajis on their return journey from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan.
The airline’s post-Haj flights will start reaching Pakistan from October 31, it was further stated.
ANTI-ENCROACHMENT DRIVE: Commissioner Hashim Raza Zaidi has spelled out his priorities in a meeting with the Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners and said that the eradication of encroachments, early construction of Lyari Expressway and a polio-free city.
A statement issued here the other day said that he had asked the participants of the meeting to take every possible step for the betterment of the metropolis and its people.
“You should work as a team for the resolution of the problems and provision of relief to the people,” Zaidi told the Deputy Commissioners and the Assistant Commissioners. He further stressed that the observance of the rules and regulations should be the first priority.
He said that making Karachi a polio-free city would be a big success for the metropolis, the province of Sindh as well as for Pakistan. He also directed that sale of eatables at the determined rates should be ensured.
Zaidi also called for resolving the problems of the widows with regard to the benevolent fund.