Pakistan revises Hajj quota after Saudia slashes pilgrims number

Pakistan said Tuesday it has revised Hajj quota for this year keeping in view the twenty percent reduction in Hajj quota by Saudi Arabia.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Tuesday afternoon‚ Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said 60 % will perform Hajj under Government scheme and 40 % under private Hajj scheme from Pakistan.

The Minister said due to twenty percent reduction in Hajj quota the number of intending pilgrims have been reduced from 179210 to 143368. In this way private Hajj operators have been alloted the quota of fifty-seven thousand three hundred and forty-seven.

Sardar Yousuf said so far forty-three thousand seven hundred and forty-nine Hujjas have been booked by private Hajj operators while only twenty-one thousand have applied with dues under private Hajj scheme.

Under government Hajj scheme‚ quota of eighty-six thousand and twenty-one has already been completed.

He said Saudi Government has fixed 8th of this month as deadline for receiving the details of Hujjaj. He said private Hajj operators have not so far completed their allotted quota and also failed to provide details of accommodations hired by them for Hujjaj in Makkah and Madina. He said protest by private operators is unjustified.

The Minister said Saudi Government has requested for cooperation of Hujjaj from Pakistan as the Saudi Government is carrying out a comprehensive plan for widening the Harm Shareef to facilitate the Hujjaj.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=40771

Posted by Tahir Khan on Jul 2 2013. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.