Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pilgrims will have to pay Rs 10,290 to Rs 11,190 for their each accompanying infant during Hajj this year under the government scheme.

According to official sources in Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, the parents travelling from southern region will have to pay Rs 10,290 as Hajj dues for each accompanying infant. While the parents of infants travelling from north region will have to pay Rs 11,190 as Hajj dues for each accompanying infant. The children born after November 29, 2014 have been treated as infants while other children and adults are required to pay normal Hajj dues, the sources added.

The breakup of total charges included Rs 8,600 as Hajj airfare for south region and Rs 9,500 for north region, the parents of an infant will have to pay Rs 500 on account of Hujjaj Mohafiz Fund and Rs 900 will be charged as vaccination charges and lastly Zamzam charges for both northern and southern region will be Rs 290.

Meanwhile, the intending pilgrims must have international machine readable passport having validity up to March 10, 2017 to avoid inconvenience. According to Hajj Policy 2016, the intending Hajj applicants, who do not possess a valid international machine readable passport, would not be able to perform the religious ceremony this year. The applicants must also have computerized national identity card (CNICs) and medical certificate. The ministry has directed Hajj Group Organisers (HGOs) to deposit five percent of each private package as performance guarantee for ensuring the provision of agreed facilities to private pilgrims. The guarantee money will be refunded to HGOs on showing satisfactory performance and without receiving any complaint (against the HGO) from pilgrim intending to perform Hajj under private schemes. Each HGO shall also sign a Service Provider Agreement (SPA) with the ministry for necessary planning, management and arrangements of Hajj. The ministry will act as a sole arbitrator and decision of the ministry will be deemed as final. The ministry warned imposition of heavy fine including five year or permanent ban on HGO on violation of the agreed facilities to pilgrim intending to perform Hajj under private schemes.

Compulsory Hajj dues including transportation charges, Moallam fee, Mina charges, Hujjaj Mohafiz Scheme, services and vaccination charges, one percent reserve accommodation charges shall be deposited by all HGOs with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony according to the allocated number of pilgrims, before issuance of Recognition Letter (RL). They will also clear arrears in this respect, if any.