According to the airport officials, a fire broke out in the immigration system of Allama Iqbal International Airport on Thursday, attributed to a short circuit in the ceiling of the immigration counter. The incident occurred in the departure lounge, and Civil Aviation Authority personnel managed to extinguish the blaze after facing some challenges. However, residual smoke caused disruptions in flight operations and immigration procedures.
Reportedly, the inaugural Hajj flight from Lahore was postponed, along with the delay of seven other international flights. Consequently, immigration procedures for Hajj pilgrims were redirected to the domestic counter.
On May 3, the Ministry of Religious Affairs announced the commencement of Pakistan’s Hajj 2024 flight operations, with 11 special flights transporting 2,160 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia on the first day. The schedule included flights from Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Multan, and Sialkot. The Hajj flight operation is set to run from May 9 to June 9, with the initial 15 days landing at Madina airport and subsequent flights landing at Jeddah airport from May 24 to June 9. The first Hajj flights from Balochistan are scheduled for May 11 from Quetta and May 27 from Sukkur.
