Rising Hajj expenses

Performing Hajj is likely to become even costlier. The religious affairs ministry has proposed a raise of Rs115,000 in Hajj expenses under the government-sponsored scheme for the current year which translates into an approximately 25% increase in comparison with the expenses incurred in the previous year. With the proposed raise, the expenses for fulfilling the religious obligation in the year 2020 are to reach Rs550,000 for those residing in the northern region of the country and Rs545,000 for those in the southern region – up from Rs436,975 in 2019 and Rs280,000 in 2018 if a comparison is drawn over the northern region category. This means that the expenses for the holy sojourn are to get almost doubled in just two years. And for those choosing the private scheme for their failure to strike luck at the ballot or as per their preference will have to spend even more in case the proposal gets the green signal. The proposed new cost excludes expenses for Qurbani which were Rs19,451 last year.

The only obstacle in the way of the government proposal turning into a huge additional burden of Rs115,000 on those intending to embark on the blessed pilgrimage this year is the relevant standing committee of the Senate which has directed the religious affairs ministry to justify the proposed raise. While the Hajj subsidy – which was worth Rs42,000 for a pilgrim in Hajj 2018 – already stood abolished, the intending pilgrims this year will have to bear a further brunt of a depreciated rupee against the dollar as well as an increase in air fares. The issue of 5% VAT – imposed on pilgrims by Saudis for using transport, residence and other services – was also not taken up with Riyadh as pledged, and this tax will be there to add to the expense this year too. All this is making it more and more difficult for a common Pakistani to perform a religious obligation what is doubtlessly amongst his foremost religious wish – to perform Hajj at least once in his lifetime.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2020.

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