The federal cabinet on Tuesday gave the green light to the Hajj Policy 2025, paving the way for 179,210 Pakistani nationals to perform Hajj next year. As per the Policy, the Hajj quota will be split evenly between government and private schemes and those under 12 years of age will not be allowed to travel for Hajj, according to a PM Office press release. The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was told that selection under the government scheme will be made through a computerised balloting. As per policy, 1,000 seats would be allocated for hardship cases and 300 for laborers and low-income employees registered under the Employees Old-Age Benefit Institution or Workers Welfare Fund. Under the policy, Road to Makkah facility would be available at Islamabad and Karachi international airports. The Hajj Group Organisers would sign a Service Provider Agreement with the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which would be strictly monitored. It was told that a new portfolio of Nazim (administrator) had been introduced to facilitate the pilgrims. One Nazim will be appointed for each 100 pilgrims, who would be selected from among the welfare staff. Under the policy, the compensation for the heirs of the deceased has been increased from Rs1 million to Rs 2 million while the injured ones would be given Rs1 million. The cabinet members were told that a special Hajj Management App has been developed to facilitate the pilgrims and arrangements have been made for their training. The federal cabinet called for preference to the intended pilgrims who could not succeed during the last year’s balloting. The meeting also stressed the need for taking all-out measures for the facilitation of the pilgrims. The cabinet approved the appointment of Saeed Iqbal, Moazzam Ahmed, Madiha Khalid, Usman Haider and Muhammad Sajjad Farouqui in the board of Public Private Partnership Authority as private members. On the finance ministry’s recommendation, the cabinet gave post facto approval to the agreement on transfer of Foreign Commercial Financing Facility from London Interbank Offered Rate to Secured Overnight Financing Rate. The meeting approved the Jammu and Kashmir Estate Property Budget for fiscal year 2024-25, besides endorsing an agreement between Directorate General of Ports and Shippings Karachi and Bahria Classification Society on the certification of the classification of ships. Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said Azerbaijan has expressed readiness to sign agreements worth two billion dollars with Pakistan. He said the President of Azerbaijan has sent a message in this regard. Alluding to the departure of a Pakistani delegation to Saudi Arabia, the Prime Minister said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman during a recent meeting with him expressed best wishes for the progress and development of Pakistan and he wants to move forward quickly to strengthen relations in diverse fields. Shehbaz Sharif pointed out that there is a great demand of IT workforce in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. He said he will soon get a presentation from the Ministry of Information Technology as to what strategy it is pursuing to prepare the skilled workforce in the IT to take advantage of this demand in both the countries. The Prime Minister described the recent reduction in policy rate by the State Bank of Pakistan as an important development for the businesses, industry, agriculture and exports. He expressed the confidence that the people will now invest their money which will create job opportunities and enhance exports. He said this will also reduce the burden of debt and provide a fiscal space. The Prime Minister said the business community will be encouraged to strengthen the economy.