Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf on Monday said that the Hajj and Umrah Operation Act will be presented soon before the parliament for approval, as this initiative would help pilgrims to resolve their issues.

Approved from the Cabinet Division, the act would help pilgrims to get rid of those agents who loot money from them, he said this while addressing the oath taking ceremony of the Hajj Operators Association of Pakistan (HOAP). As many as 30 members including its chairman took oath on the occasion.

Haji Sanaullah and Sirajul Haq were elected as chairman and senior vice chairman of this association respectively. The minister congratulated the Hajj operators for making this year’s Hajj as a great success and said that it was a challenge to come up with the expectations of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in terms of facilitating pilgrims and making this activity more successful.

During the previous government’s tenure, Hajj pilgrims expressed dissatisfaction over the arrangements, he pointed out. However, the constant efforts of the incumbent government to facilitate the Hajj pilgrims during the last three years helped rebuild their confidence, he added.

The ministry received 2,80,000 hajj applications from different parts of the country, while 1,43,000 Pakistanis performed Hajj pilgrimage out of which 73,000 pilgrims performed Hajj pilgrimage through private schemes this year. The minister said that around 742 Hajj operators were serving across Pakistan and the government would collaborate with the Hajj operators to bring further improvements in Hajj operation.

Yousaf urged the Hajj Operators Association to introduce further Hajj packages to improve the services, facilitating the intending pilgrims. This year, all political parties backed the government efforts to ensure smooth Hajj operation, which was made possible through joint efforts of the government and private sector, he said.

He praised the outstanding rule of private Hajj companies by providing best facilities to the pilgrims this year. The people have also praised the government and private companies for their best management and facilities, he said. Yousaf said that the government was equally encouraging the private companies by giving them representation in advisory committees.

On the occasion, Haji Sanaullah said that Pakistan has placed on top position with Indonesia and Malaysia by providing outstanding facilities to their pilgrims in the Saudi kingdom. He said that a well-developed training and post-Hajj meetings along with seminars will be implemented by all private companies to make the Hajj operation of 2017 more successful.

During the post-Hajj meetings and training sessions, the pilgrims would be trained to strictly obey the teachings and regulations of the Saudi government, he informed the gathering.