Technical Issue Caused Delay in Hajj Flights, Parliamentary Secretary Tells NA
ISLAMABAD, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 20th Aug, 2026) Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Division Raja Osama Sarwar on Thursday informed the National Assembly that a Hajj flight to Jeddah was delayed due to technical reasons, affecting the subsequent flight schedule.
Responding to a question during Question Hour, he stated that the technical issue with the Jeddah-bound flight had disrupted the overall flight schedule, leading to delays for four other flights. He mentioned that the matter had been reported to the relevant authorities, and the responsible officials would be identified and presented before the appropriate board for consideration.
In his supplementary response, the parliamentary secretary revealed that approximately 3,000 to 4,000 pilgrims faced difficulties due to the flight delays. He explained that a flight scheduled to depart from Jeddah had been grounded, causing a cascade of delays.
He assured that the government had made arrangements for the stranded pilgrims, providing them with food, including two meals a day, tea, and other necessary assistance. He clarifed that the delays were not due to deliberate mismanagement but rather resulted from the technical issue.
Sarwar pledged to look into the concerns raised by lawmakers and requested the relevant authorities to provide specific details about the challenges faced by the pilgrims.
Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif supported the suggestion to improve flight allocation and coordination among airlines to avoid inconveniencing the pilgrims, adding that it should be considered for future Hajj flights.
Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousaf stated that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Saudi Airlines primarily transport Hajj pilgrims. Other airlines also participate, though their contribution is smaller. In previous years, the government allocated pilgrims among different airlines, he noted.
The minister emphasized that the government had always given clear instructions to ensure a smooth Hajj operation and promptly addressed the recent flight delays.
