Director Hajj Rehan Abbas Khokhar said that overall, a total of 13,000 intending pilgrims from across the region departed from Multan International Airport. In 2024, a total of 80,000 pilgrims under private scheme and 70,000 under government scheme are on the pilgrimage.

The Hajj Directorate provided all possible facilities to the pilgrims under one roof, he said. Similarly, he added, training of the intending pilgrims were conducted at tehsil level.

Volunteers and staff at the airport facilitated the pilgrims and managed smooth process for them, he said. He said that serving the pilgrims was a matter of pride for him.

Last year, he said, Hajj expenses were Rs 1,175,000 per person while the expense decreased to Rs1,075,000 due to an improved exchange rate this year. He also anticipated that the expense could decrease further if the rupee continues to strengthen in the coming years.