Hajj expenses to be reduced to Rs1, 90,000: minister

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs, Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah said on Wednesday that all-out efforts were being made to ensure provision of maximum facilities to intending pilgrims besides bringing down Hajj expenses from Rs2, 36,000 to 1, 90,000 per pilgrim for the year 2011.

"Such a significant decrease in Hajj expenses under the government scheme will facilitate the people, who cannot afford to perform the religious obligation under the private scheme", he said replying to a supplementary question in the National Assembly during the question-hour session.

The minister said there was a "Fatwa" (religious decree) that under

the Islamic Sharia no subsidy could be given on Hajj, adding "The Council of Islamic Ideology has a clear verdict in this regard".

He said that the ministry was taking a number of steps to ensure provision of maximum facilities to pilgrims, keeping in view the difficulties faced by them during previous years.

Khursheed Shah said the Ministry had planned to start receiving Hajj applications from April 10, almost six months before the commencement of the pre-Hajj flight operation. "While, the intending Hajji have been advised through press notices to complete their required documents", he said.

He said that the process of hiring buildings for Hujjaj in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had been started through a transparent mechanism. He said for the purpose various steps had been taken.

Elaborating he said, advertisement had been published in Saudi press, seeking expression of interest from the Saudi owners to lease out their buildings to Pakistan Hajj Mission for Hajj-2011. Detailed terms and conditions have been placed on the website of the ministry, seeking expression of interest from the building's owners through email as well, he added.

The ministry, he said had also contacted the owners whose buildings were hired in the past, seeking their interest for this year. The Director General (Hajj) Jeddah has dispatched letters to the owners, adding "All this is intended to curb the involvement of middle man in the hiring process".

He said that Hajj Directorate, Jeddah would also be allowed to hire local Khuddam, especially the young Pakistani students studying in universities of Saudi Arabia."This year, the ministry has decided to hire 800 Pakistani students studying in Saudi Arabia as Khuddam-ul-Hujjaj instead of sending from Pakistan.The students will be well aware of the surroundings and have command on Arabic language, which will help them to serve Hujjaj in a more effective manner",  he said.

Khursheed Shah informed the House that the ministry had paid Rs. 440 million to those pilgrims who faced difficulties during Hajj-2010 in Mina as per directives of the Supreme Court.

Although, he said there was some mismanagement in Hajj arrangements last under the government scheme but these were far better than the private organizers. "There are reports that some Hajj Group Organizers fled away after getting millions of rupees from intending pilgrims, depriving them from the religious obligation", minister said.

He assured that this year improved arrangements would be ensured to provide maximum facilities to intending pilgrims.