ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yusaf Thursday briefed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on arrangements for Hajj 2017 at the Prime Minister’s House. During the briefing, the minister claimed that there had been a remarkable improvement in arrangements for Hajj 2017 during the last three years. “Applications for the government Hajj Scheme increased from 86,919 in 2013 to 280,617 in 2016,” said the minister. He added that more than 300% increase in applications in the last three years was a testament of public confidence in the government. The prime minister appreciated the ministry’s efforts for facilitating pilgrims and directed the ministry to make more improvements. He said that visible improvements made in facilities provided to pilgrims in the last three years had been acknowledged by all segments of society. Meanwhile, the premier was told that the annual Hajj agreement for the current year had been signed with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and that the reduction in Hajj quota made in 2013 due to expansion of Haram Sharif had been restored from 143,368 to 179,210. “The Saudi Hajj Ministry has also been requested to enhance the country’s quota by at least 15,000 on the basis of current population of Pakistan.” The prime minister also directed the minister to make arrangements for pilgrims at airports and provision of three meals a day to pilgrims in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah, besides general facilitation for pilgrims in travelling facilities. It was also decided during the meeting that applicants, who had performed Hajj during the last seven years, would not be eligible to apply for Hajj 2017 under the government scheme while Hajj-e-Badal would be allowed only through private Hajj schemes. The meeting was also attended by Fawad Hassan Fawad, Khalid Masood Chaudhary and other senior officials.