Haj Policy 2019 announced No subsidy for Hujjaj this year

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet approved the Haj Policy 2019 announcing no subsidy for the pilgrims, prompting an angry walkout from the cabinet by the Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday after attending the federal cabinet meeting, the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Fawad Chaudhry, said maximum facilities will be provided to pilgrims under the new Haj policy. He said direct Haj flights will be launched from Quetta for the first time and intending pilgrims will be provided with biometric system facility at the local level to expedite the processing of applications.

The minister said about 184,000 pilgrims will have the opportunity to perform Haj this year. Of the total applicants, 10,000 seats will be reserved for senior citizens and 500 for the low income people. As much as sixty percent quota will be allotted to government and the remaining 40 percent to the private operators. The Haj expenses for the northern and southern zones would be Rs436,975 and Rs427,975 respectively.

Some of the facilities which will be provided to the pilgrims include direct Haj flights from Quetta and Faisalabad and availability of biometric services in the far-flung areas so they do not have to travel to the main cities.

Earlier as the cabinet shot down the Religious Affairs Ministry’s proposal for subsidy to Haj pilgrims, following a debate with ministers who said only those who can afford should go for the pilgrimage and those who cannot should not.