Seasonal, swine flu vaccines must for Hajj pilgrims

ISLAMABAD: Seasonal and swine flu vaccination have made mandatory for intending Hajj pilgrims to protect them from viral diseases.

An official of Ministry of Religious Affairs talking to APP said as per directives of the Saudi authorities the intending pilgrims would have to carry medical certificates of administering vaccines while departing for the Hajj.

Shafique Ahmed talking to APP said that submitting fake medical certificate to the ministry for proceeding to perform hajj by intending pilgrims is un-Islamic.

"People, who are preceding to perform hajj, one of the greatest religious ritual must avoid starting their journey to holy land with stating a lie," he said.

The Minister of Religious Affairs has already declared all 86,000 Hajj applicants as eligible for performing the Hajj 2011.

"All the applicants, who submitted applications will be eligible to perform Hajj 2011 as the Government has withdrawn its 15 percent quota with the resolve to facilitate the intending pilgrims."

As per past practices, the government withholds 15 percent quota to facilitate the labours and the needy.

He said process to hire buildings for intending pilgrim have been completed. PIA has issued flight schedule to intending pilgrims.

He said intending pilgrims belonging to same districts will be accommodated in one flight and one building.

While the PIA will allot them terminals in advance to save the time of the intending pilgrims, he said.

The Minister said the ministry will also launch an awareness campaign to facilitate the intending pilgrims, MoU in this regard has already been inked with Radio Pakistan and PTV.

He said 64 programmes have been recorded to guide the intending pilgrims to perform their religions obligations.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011