Govt to return Rs25,000 to Rs67,000 to every pilgrim: minister

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Pir Noorul Haq has said the government has made best arrangements for Hajj pilgrims despite financial constraints.

Talking to the media during his visit to Haji Camp here on Tuesday, the minister said that Hajj operation was going on successfully and over 140,000 pilgrims had reached the holy cities of Makkah and Madina so far.

To a query, Minister Noorul Haq said that on the special instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan the government arranged residence for Hujjaj close to the Haram-e-Makkah Sharif while the Religious Ministry would return the amount ranging from Rs25,000 to Rs67,000 to every pilgrim from their Hajj expenses.

Under the “Road to Makkah Project” about 23,000 pilgrims will join Hajj from Islamabad airport this year, he said. Under the programme, the process of immigration of hujjaj is being completed at Islamabad airport and there is no need for further immigration in Saudi Arabia. The minister urged the media to counter the negative propaganda against the government Hajj operation services. He said the government was making an all-out effort to improve the standards of facilities for the pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, Director Hajj Lahore Rehan Khokhar briefed the minister about the Hajj training and facilities being provided to the intending Hujjaj Karaam. The minister expressed his satisfaction. —APP

Our correspondent adds: A certificate distribution ceremony was held on completion of the 14th batch of driving course at the Road Safety Training Institute of Motorway Police central zone at Babu Sabu, here Tuesday.

Acting Sector Commander DSP Farrukh Raza Shah said that the basic purpose of Road Safety Training Institutes (Driving Schools) was to provide an opportunity to people to learn driving as per international standards of road safety.

The DSP said that the DIG Motorways Ahmad Arslan Malik was determined to ensure immaculate adherence to traffic laws on the highways and motorways and provision of quality road safety and drivers training on modern lines.