Minister seeks a larger Hajj quota

Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony Minister Aneeq Ahmed called upon the Saudi government on Monday to expand the Hajj quota for the Pakistani pilgrims, in order to accommodating more intending pilgrims from Pakistan.

In an exclusive conversation with APP, the caretaker minister highlighted the discrepancy between the current Hajj quota and the country's population figures.

"At present, Pakistan's allocated Hajj quota stands at 179,210 pilgrims, a number that falls short of accurately representing the nation's population. The recent census has revealed that Pakistan's population has surged to 241.49 million, with an annual growth rate of 2.55%," he said.

Aneeq emphasized that the religious affairs ministry was actively working on a range of plans aimed at reducing the cost of the Hajj and enhancing facilities to ensure the ease and comfort of all pilgrims. APP