Daily Times

The registration with biometric system for private pilgrims intending to go to perform hajj under the private scheme has been made mandatory, said an official at the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony.

Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony would inform intending pilgrims through phone or SMS to ensure biometric verification before submitting their passports for the issuance of visa. In Pakistan, Saudi government has selected a company named ‘Aitmaad’ for the biometric verification of the pilgrims.

Death compensation

The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony will pay Rs 500,000 each to the heirs of a pilgrim of government hajj scheme in case of death and Rs 150,000 in case of accidental disability of one limb during the upcoming hajj in Saudi Arabia.

According to Hajj Policy 2018, Rs 250,000 will be paid to a pilgrim on permanent disability of more than one limb and Rs 300,000 in case of emergency evacuation of pilgrim from Saudi Arabia due to illness.

He said the ministry will continue ‘Hajj Mohafiz Scheme’ for risk management under Takaful to compensate the affected pilgrims/nominee of the deceased pilgrims in the current year. Each pilgrim and member of the welfare staff would be required to contribute a non-refundable amount of Rs 500 to the scheme. The scheme will compensate pilgrims and the welfare staff against the losses.

Published in Daily Times, June 23^rd 2018.