New Hajj policy: Applications to be accepted from April 21

The policy states that anyone who has performed Hajj during the last 5 years will not be able to go again this year.

The government announced the new Hajj Policy for the current year on Wednesday, under which 143,368 Pakistanis would perform Hajj in 2014, Radio Pakistan reported.     

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Wednesday, Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said that the government and private Hajj group organisers will operate on a 50-50 quota.

He added that banks will start accepting Hajj applications from April 21 and all applications under the government scheme would be entertained on first-come-first-served basis.

The policy states that anyone who has performed Hajj during the last five years will not be eligible to partake in the pilgrimage this year except for those people who will be going as ‘Mehram’ or the ones performing ‘Hajj-e-Badal’.

The Hajj package under the government scheme will cost Rs262,231 for those pilgrims travelling from Karachi, Quetta and Sukkur, while those travelling from Peshawar, Islamabad, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Faisalabad and Sialkot will have to pay Rs272,231.

The package is almost 16 per cent lower than the package offered in 2013 when they were priced at Rs285,070 and Rs295,070.

In relation to the draft policy for 2014, the package rates indicate that the return airfare to and from Saudi Arabia will cost Rs66,372 for those travelling from Karachi, Quetta and Sukkur, while those travelling from other stations will be charged to pay Rs76,372. These costs are included in the hajj packages mentioned.