Hajj and Umrah Directorate set up to facilitate pilgrims

Govt lacks accurate data about Pakistanis performing Umrah each year, says report

ISLAMABAD: The federal Cabinet on Tuesday made an administrative reshuffle to bring some government departments under the control of ministries and set up a Hajj and Umrah Directorate in a bid to facilitate the pilgrims.

The directorate would work under the administrative ambit of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

The decision was taken amid reports that the government lacked any practical role in monitoring the services of private Umrah operators that facilitate flights and stays of Umrah pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. Reports also suggest that the federal government lacks any accurate or consolidated data about the number of Pakistanis that perform Umrah each year.



The government carries out Hajj operations to facilitate the pilgrims under the government’s Hajj scheme, while private Hajj operators work separately under a designated quota.

According to official sources, the newly established directorate would supervise the functioning of tour operators for both Hajj and Umrah and maintain a computerised record of the number of pilgrims.

On February 28, the federal cabinet allowed the Ministry of Religious Affairs to carry out 50 per cent of the balloting for government Hajj quota applications and to provide the Saudi authorities with the relevant details of prospective pilgrims from Pakistan for the Hajj this year.

In December last year, the cabinet approved the new Hajj policy for the year 2018 that allowed 67 per cent Hajj applications to be entertained through the government quota and 33 per cent through private tour operators.

From January 15 to January 24 this year, the religious affairs ministry received a record 374,829 applications through the designated banks under the government quota scheme.

A total of 184,210 pilgrims will be selected through the balloting to perform Hajj from Pakistan this year as the Saudi government has increased Pakistan’s Hajj quota which by 5,000.

Reshuffle

The cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, also approved the inclusion of the National Language Promotion Department and the National Library of Pakistan as attached departments of the National History and Literary Heritage Division. The inclusion of the Pakistan Halal Authority under the Science and Technology Division was also approved.

The National Fertiliser Development Centre was transferred from the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research with necessary amendments to the Rules of Business. The cabinet also approved the transfer of the Pakistan Environmental Planning and Architectural Consultant Limited from the Climate Change Division to the Planning, Development and Reforms Division.

According to the PM Office, the cabinet rejected a proposal to increase the rate of central excise duty on import of raw material for manufacturing of edible oil, vegetable ghee and cooking oil on mills in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas. The cabinet directed that the issue of rationalisation of taxes be considered at the time of formulation of budget proposals.



The cabinet also approved the signing of an agreement on cooperation in the field of combating crime between the governments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Sartaj Aziz briefed the cabinet in detail about the issues relating to water management and the first-ever draft Water Policy of the country. The Cabinet accorded approval for the presentation of the drafted Water Policy before the Council of Common Interests (CCI).

Appointments against vacant positions of commissioners in the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) were also approved.

In order to solicit services from professionals in the public sector organisations, a proposal regarding the introduction of ‘Special Pay Scales’ was approved by the cabinet, the statement added.