KARACHI – For the first time ever, Pakistan gave the Hajj quota to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) since the annual Islamic pilgrimage was made difficult by the worsening economic crisis and unreasonably high expenses barred its citizens from performing their religious commitment.
Islamabad gave up its Hajj quota after receiving few applications amid rising costs and a cash limited availability. After receiving approval from the federal cabinet, the Ministry of Religious Affairs made the choice because, had it not been returned, it would have cost the national purse almost $24 million.
For the first time since the epidemic impacted the Hajj process, Saudi officials allotted 179,000 pilgrims to Pakistan this year. Under the state-run programme, a cap of 89,605 Hajj pilgrims was set up, with the rest being distributed to the private sector.
However, the cash-strapped country was unable to satisfy the allotted quota due to an absence of 8,000 applications.
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For those who are not sponsored, the cost of performing the Hajj is around Rs1.2 million, which is a significant sum, particularly in these difficult economic times. The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony even allots a specific quota for the Hajj pilgrims who would pay in USD as part of the government’s urgent measures to combat the dollar shortage.
The first group of pilgrims will leave Pakistan’s federal capital on May 20 as part of the country’s Hajj flying programme.
The first Hajj flight would depart in the third week of May, according to Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood, Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony. The Secretary of Religious Affairs advised the minister and senior authorities that the Hajj flight operation would end in mid-June.
Since per protocol, pilgrim biometrics would be finished by this next Friday, since the ministry had requested pilgrims’ valid passports till that time.
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