Minister hopes for cut in Haj expenses

NOWSHERA: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor said on Thursday he hoped the Haj expenses this year would be brought down.

Talking to this scribe by phone, he said he visited Saudi Arabia recently and held talks with the officials there in a bid to cut the charges to be incurred on Haj.

The minister expressed the optimism that the Haj expenses which had been estimated to be Rs9,49,000 would be reduced.

Explaining his point, he said he personally visited the buildings which were to be acquired for rent for pilgrims and hoped that pilgrims would get better facilities.

The minister said the Saudi government would unveil the Haj policy within a week and equal treatment for all states was expected in the policy.