Intending pilgrims have lauded Religious Affairs Ministry for not increasing government Hajj scheme expenses despite a whooping increase of Rs 4.44 billion in total expenses of Government Scheme Hajj 2018 as compared to last year. The government has retained last year’s Hajj expenses of Rs 270,000 (South) Rs 280,000 (North) bearing the extra expenses from government exchequer, said official sources in Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony. The expenditures of each intending pilgrim under the government scheme has increased by Rs 45,000 this year owing to various reasons including the increase in dollar, rupee parity ratio, said official sources of Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony. As many as 179,210 would perform the sacred ceremony of Hajj, out of which 67 percent (119,473) would perform under Government Hajj Scheme and 33 percent 59,737 under private Hajj scheme. The ministry was conducting extensive training of intending pilgrims to enable them to perform the sacred religious ceremony. The ministry had already devised an effective mechanism to monitor the Hajj operation. An advisory committee had almost also been set up to monitor the Hajj operation. Effective measures were being taken by the ministry to register complaints during Hajj. All pilgrims have been asked to affix a Pakistan flag at their `Ahrams’ for identification. “Female pilgrims should carry at least two `Abayas’ preferably of black colour.” The applicants could get information from Hajj Inquiry no 051-9205696; 051-9216980 and Hajj helpline 042-111725425. Published in Daily Times, June 15th 2018.