Govt to announce Haj Policy in Jan

Islamabad : Government would announce the Haj policy 2019 in the second week of January 2019, said official sources in Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony here on Wednesday.

According to sources, the draft of Haj Policy 2019 was being finalised after consultations with all stakeholders and organising consultative workshops at several cities.

The applications for securing berth in Government Haj Scheme would be invited from the general public by last week of January, 2019. The ministry was contemplating to retain the quota for government and private Haj operators by 60:40 respectively, he said adding that the ministry has proposed open sky policy for airlines to transport pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

The ministry, he said may allot quota to new Haj Group Organisers (HGOs).

He said 184,210 Pakistanis would perform Haj next year following the increase of country’s Haj quota by 5,000 pilgrims as comparing to this year’s pilgrimage. Saudi government has already been asked to further enhance Haj quota of Pakistan.

The Haj dues of the applicants would be kept in Sharia Complaint remunerative accounts. Pakistanis will be given E-visas.

He said the ministry has imposed strict conditions on scheduled banks, receiving Haj applications of Government Haj Scheme during Haj 2019. The banks should have different counters at each designated branch, besides deploying special staff for guiding the intending pilgrims in submitting Haj applications to the Ministry.