Hajj Quota: Minister pledges equal distribution

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said on Monday that the 20 percent cut in Hajj quota will be equally distributed among the pilgrims of government and private schemes.

While talking to a 12-member delegation of Hajj Organizers Association of Pakistan (HOAP) Sardar Yousaf said that the objective of the government and HOAP is similar, and that is to provide facilities to the pilgrims and both should join hands to facilitate the Hujjaj.

The delegation indicated the problems to the minister, including issues being confronted by them. Yousaf sought cooperation from HOAP to provide maximum facilities to the intending pilgrims.

It is pertinent to mention here that as many as 144000 Pakistanis would perform Hajj this year due to 20 percent cut in Pakistan’s Hajj quota by Saudi government and the government has already completed the booking of 89,605 government scheme for pilgrims.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2013.