Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Minister of state for religious affairs and interfaith harmony Pir Amin ul Hasnat has said that review petition will be filed in the Supreme Court (SC) to seek an increase in the government Hajj quota. Due to better arrangements, people’s trust in the government Hajj scheme has increased and legislation will be enacted for further improving Hajj
policy.

He said this in an exclusive chat with the Daily Times. He stated that the ministry had made excellent arrangements for the pilgrims under the government scheme. Besides serving Pakistani foods to these Hajis, the facilities of modern transport and health care were provided to them.

He told Daily Times that the Saudi government itself makes arrangements for 5 days of Hajj and we make payments to them. Air cooler facility was also extended to pilgrims in Mina to protect them against hot weather. More facilities would be provided next year.

Those who are sent to Saudi Arabia for performing Hajj on the recommendations of officers and parliamentarians consider them state guests and they demand special facilities in Saudi Arabia which is impossible for the ministry to provide them. Saudi Arabia allots a quota of one pilgrim against 1000 persons and this way quota is allotted against 180 million people on this criterion. On the other hand Saudi Arabia has curtailed the quota by 20 percent due to construction work. The full quota will be restored for Pakistan
next year.

He said that new Hajj companies can be provided a quota only if the Saudi government increases Pakistan’s quota. The Ministry of Hajj is considering opting for legislation to give permanent shape to the Hajj policy because the distribution of the existing quota and other problems impede the Hajj operation.

He said that if decision making was entrusted only to the ministry of religious affairs, then arrangements could further be improved. He disclosed that this year, over 230,000 Hajj applications were received which bears evidence of best performance of the ministry.