This story is from July 15, 2018

Flight with 300 haj pilgrims departs from Lucknow

"It is for the first time that I am going to perform haj and I am glad to be a member of the first batch," said Mohammad Aqeel, a resident of Rajajipuram in Lucknow who departed with his wife Shahnaz Bano on Saturday on the first flight of haj to Saudi Arabia.
Flight with 300 haj pilgrims departs from Lucknow
Picture for representational purpose only.
LUCKNOW: "It is for the first time that I am going to perform haj and I am glad to be a member of the first batch," said Mohammad Aqeel, a resident of Rajajipuram in Lucknow who departed with his wife Shahnaz Bano on Saturday on the first flight of haj to Saudi Arabia.
According to haj committee officials, around 1.28 lakh haj pilgrims from across the country will go for haj this year.

From Uttar Pradesh, 32,000 pilgrims are scheduled to fly out. Of these, 14,500 are from Lucknow.
Around 300 pilgrims departed from Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow on Saturday. There were 154 men and 146 women who boarded the first flight.
"I have many wishes in my heart and I cannot express my excitement and happiness. I feel I am lucky to perform the holy haj with my husband, travelling on the first flight from my city," said Shahnaz. "A few months ago, I was praying that I would be a part of the first flight for haj, and my wish has come true. Forgetting everything behind, I am going to Saudi Arabia with all my heart. I only wish that Allah accepts my journey for haj," said Abdul Jabbar, who took the flight to Medina.
On the cloudy morning, state haj and waqf minister Mohsin Raza and minority affairs minister Baldev Aulakh flagged off a saffron flag along with Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali who held high a green flag to give a signal to the buses at haj house.
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