Daily Times

Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood, left for Saudi Arabia to review the arrangements for the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage on Wednesday night.

The minister has traveled to Saudi Arabia at his own expense to ensure the provision of facilities for intending Pakistani pilgrims.

During his visit, he would perform Umrah and pay homage at the mausoleum of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). He would also meet with Saudi authorities to discuss the arrangements for Hajj and raise any concerns regarding the facilities provided to Pakistani pilgrims.

Minister Talha would visit the Pakistan Hajj Mission in Makkah and the Pakistan House in Madinah to take a briefing on the arrangements for the upcoming pilgrimage.

This visit would provide an opportunity for the newly appointed minister to evaluate the arrangements and ensure that they meet the requirements of Pakistani pilgrims.

Earlier, addressing a press conference in the ministry, he urged the Saudi government to waive all the taxes being collected from Pakistani pilgrims in the wake of mandatory Hajj expenses.

He said that Pakistan was in severe financial crisis these days and this generous initiative would give a positive message to the world that Pak-Saudi relations go beyond the diplomatic ties.

Highlighting the Saudi government’s supportive role, the minister emphasized that such taxes would add a significant financial burden to the already expensive pilgrimage for Pakistani pilgrims, however, the taxes levied on them would create a financial obstacle for those wishing to perform the mandatory pilgrimage.

He further informed that almost 40,000 intending pilgrims would be benefited from the facility of ‘Road to Makkah’ project at the Islamabad International Airport (IIA).

Under this facility, their immigration process would completed at the airport, reducing the time and effort required to complete it, he maintained.

He said due to shortage of time, the scope of the project could not be expanded to other airports in the country. However, he assured that efforts were being made to increase the number of pilgrims availing this opportunity to its fullest from the IIA.

Talha Mahmood expressed his hope that the ‘Road to Makkah’ initiative would be available at other airports across the country by next year, providing pilgrims with greater convenience and ease during their journey to Saudi Arabia.

Regarding the selection of Moavineen-e-Hujjaj, he categorically stated that they would be appointed as per direction given by the federal cabinet adding that experienced and trained people would be selected for the job after proper scrutiny.

He said despite a lot of pressure particularly at the front of foreign exchange, the ministry was launching Hajj operation by May end.

He also sought out media’s support in case of providing right information to the people and asked to pin point the weaknesses in the system so that they could be removed for the convenience and betterment of the intending pilgrims.

He further informed that four airlines services had been hired for the transportation of pilgrims by the ministry including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Airblue, Serene Air and Saudia Airline.

He said it was observed that pilgrims had to face a couple of issues with national flag carrier which should be sought out by the quarters concerned amicably because those issues had nothing to do with the religious affairs ministry.

Responding to a question, he said he would leave no stone unturned to arrange the foreign exchange for the leftover 7,000 Hajj quota, adding that he would go an extra mile to reduce the Hajj expenses despite the financial crunch in the country and inflation in the international market.

To another query, he replied that he began to smell a rat about the fulfillment of the private Hajj operators’ target due to unwanted conditions imposed by the finance ministry. He proposed that the Finance Ministry should give private Hajj operators a free-hand in case of generating foreign exchange for the intending pilgrims who wanted to perform this sacred religious obligation with them.