Hajj policy 2015: Pilgrimage charges revised downwards

Hajj applications will be accepted from April 27 to May 8

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government has lowered the cost of Hajj this year in order to facilitate pilgrims on the directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf announced on Friday.

The minister’s remarks came during the unveiling the Hajj policy for 2015.

In 2014, the minister said, pilgrims from the Northern Region – Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkwa (K-P) – had to pay Rs272,231 while this year the cost of Hajj is decreased to Rs264,971.

“Similarly, pilgrims from the Southern Region – Sindh and Balochistan – had paid a total of Rs262,231 last year but will pay Rs255,971 this year.  The new charges are inclusive of all taxes,” the minister said.

He said a total of 143,368 pilgrims are expected to leave Pakistan for Hajj this year.

“Fifty per cent of the pilgrims will be sent through the government scheme while the other 50% will be facilitated through private Hajj group operators,” he said, adding that the Hajj quota this year is the same as the last year.

The minister said the Hajj fare has also been lowered this year. For those in the Northern region, it has gone down from Rs107,700 (in 2014) to Rs98,700. While in Southern Region, it has decreased from Rs97,700 to Rs89,700.

Explaining procedure for Hajj application, he said Hajj aspirants must hold computerised national identity cards, machine readable passports and medical certificates.

“Hajj applications will be submitted in banks, including National Bank of Pakistan. The government scheme will begin from April 27 and will continue till May 8,” he said.

The minister said the government has also decided to select successful Hajj applicants through balloting as opposed to last year’s ‘first come, first served policy’. “Banks are not accessible to some people; therefore, the government has decided to select pilgrims through balloting which will be held on May 14,” he said.

Anyone who has performed Hajj in the past five years, according to the policy, will not be eligible to apply this year except for those who will accompany as ‘Mehram’ or ‘Hajj-e-Badal’.  A five per cent quota under the government scheme has been announced for those who qualify under hardship cases.

The minister said food and transport will be provided to pilgrims in Makkah, Madinah and Mina.  A total of 450 doctors will also accompany as a part of the Hajj medical mission. “A total of 200 seasonal staff will be assisting pilgrims while 400 locals from Saudi Arabia will also be hired, if there are any funds available for assistance of pilgrims,” he said.

Yousaf said the Hajj advisory committee comprising parliamentarians has also been constituted. The committee will be overseeing and making arrangements to facilitate pilgrims.

Hajj operation monitoring system has been strengthened for registration of complaints. The new system will vigilantly take complaints through call centres, via email and special monitoring teams. Stickers will also be handed over to pilgrims to stick on to their clothes for identification purposes, he said.

“Keeping in mind the concerns of pilgrims last year, women performing Hajj will be given two Abbayas upon request. Hujjaj will be provided with five litres of Zam Zam at Pakistan airports upon their return from pilgrimage,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2015.