Haj expenses to be reduced to Rs650,000: minister

ISLAMABAD: Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Minister Mufti Abdul Shakoor has announced bringing Hajj expenditures down to Rs 650,000.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Friday, he said residences for pilgrims had been hired at lower prices in Makkah and Madinah. Efforts were being made to reduce the cost of Hajj so that Muslims could perform their religious obligation with ease.

He told the House that he was in touch with Saudi authorities for a reduction in some expenses relating to Hajj. “Hopefully, we will get a response and the expenses will be reduced to around Rs 650,000,” he said.

Shakoor, who hails from the JUIF, said expenses for the coming Hajj could have been over Rs 1.1 million if there had been the PTI government. He said he would bring forth corruption cases of the PTI government. A comprehensive and affordable package for Umrah and Ziaraat would soon be introduced.

The Jamaat-e-Islami’s Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, taking the floor, suggested that the House debate an increase in POL prices after suspending the question hour. He said the government announced the increase in petroleum products’ prices in the darkness of night. “They had promised to relieve the common man but are acting otherwise,” he said. He also objected to delay in start of proceedings of the House on Friday by over an hour.