Caretaker Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Aneeq Ahmed, spearheaded a pivotal gathering on Monday to discuss the Private Hajj Scheme’s future.
The meeting brought together key players from diverse Hajj groups and representatives of the Hajj Organizers Association of Pakistan (HOAP), with the joint secretary of Hajj delivering a comprehensive briefing. The focal points of the discussion included Saudi companies’ facilities, the sponsorship Hajj scheme, service visas, and more.
Minister Aneeq emphasized the need for private Hajj companies to adhere to Saudi directives regarding the allocation of Hajj quotas adding that Saudi authorities had advised reducing the number of Hajj companies, recommending a range of 2,000 to 3,000 pilgrims per company.
He issued instructions for private Hajj companies to submit sponsorship fee details well in advance of the deadline and called for enhanced monitoring and complaint handling to elevate the overall Hajj pilgrimage experience. The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing concerns and reservations of Hajj companies during the upcoming Kingdom’s visit and pledged to mobilize all available resources to ensure a seamless experience for pilgrims. He commended the services offered by most private Hajj group operators and proposed measures to further strengthen trade relations.
The briefing disclosed that a total of 901 Hajj companies were registered under the Private Hajj Scheme, but corrective action was deemed necessary as 102 companies failed to upload the required data on the Ministry’s portal. In line with new Saudi directives, the HOAP committed to presenting their recommendations on the cluster system to the ministry within 24 hours, reinforcing their dedication to facilitating a smoother Hajj experience.