Pakistan urges Saudi govt to increase its Hajj quota

Request made in view of Pakistan's new population figures that are expected to show a dramatic increase after census

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has asked Saudi Arabia to increase its Hajj quota as the former's new population figures following the ongoing census in the country are expected to show a dramatic increase.

Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yusuf met with his Saudi counterpart Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten in Jeddah on Tuesday.

Yusuf called for an increase in the Hajj quota from the current 179,210 to 194,210.

The minister had requested the increase last month too at a meeting with Benten in Peshawar.



The Saudi minister has expressed his willingness to accept the demand.

A Religious Affairs Ministry official, who was present at the meeting, confirmed that they had received a positive feedback from Riyadh and were hopeful that the increase in quota would soon be given the nod.

The official added that Islamabad had made the demand based on the estimated new population statistics.



Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia had inked an agreement whereby Pakistan's quota rose from 143,368 to 179,210.

The ministers of the two countries also discussed Hajj arrangements and ways to improve them.

The Saudi minister guaranteed that the arrangements would be far better this time in comparison with previous years.

He added that concrete steps were being taken to provide the best possible services and facilities to pilgrims.