Daily Times

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor on Tuesday informed that the Federal Cabinet had approved the support amount of Rs 150,000 for pilgrims performing Hajj on government scheme.

Addressing a press conference, he said despite difficult situation, the incumbent government had extended this generous support keeping in view the financial issues of the people. Abdul Shakoor said since the day he had assumed the charge of the religious affairs ministry, he was determined to reduce the Hajj expenses and continued his efforts for the purpose. He said he had an idea that the intending pilgrims were suffering from the severe anxiety due to increase in the Hajj expenses.

He said after the announcement of mandatory Hajj expenses from the Saudi government and approval of the Hajj Policy 2022 by the Federal Cabinet, the total Hajj package was comprised of Rs 851,127 from Northern Region and Rs 860,177 from South region. He made it clear that after the support amount, the Hajj package would cost almost Rs 700,000.

He said as per Saudi government’s instruction, the first flight of Road to Makkah would take off on June 6. The intending pilgrims would be informed about their flights through website and text messages on their cellular phone numbers.

He urged the pilgrims to be in contact with Hajji Camps and complete their preparation for Hajj in accordance with the ministry’s instructions.

Meanwhile, the pre-Hajj-flight operation of the national flag carrier would start on June 6 (Monday) to transport intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for performing the religious obligation, PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khan said here on Tuesday.

“PIA will start its Hajj operation from June 6 that will continue till July 3. The first flight, carrying 329 intending pilgrims, will depart at 4 a.m. from Islamabad for Madina-tul-Munawwara,” he said in a news release while sharing details of the pre and post-Hajj-flight operations.

He said around 15,000 intending pilgrims would perform the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while 18,000 under the private scheme.

The spokesman said the one-month post-Hajj flight operation would commence on July 14 and continue till August 13, adding “the PIA’s overall Hajj operation will be consisted of 331 flights that will be operated at five major airports including Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Quetta.”

On special directives of Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, he said the PIA’s CEO would himself supervise to ensure timely and smooth conduct of the Hajj flight operations. The spokesman said the minister had directed to arrange the flight operations keeping in view the comfort of intending pilgrims, advising the PIA to extend all possible facilities to intending pilgrims considering it their national and religious duty.