ISLAMABAD: A large number of middle class intending pilgrims are likely to miss the sacred religious ceremony of Hajj this year as the Ministry of Religious Affairs has enhanced the Government scheme Hajj expenses by over 30 percent as comparing to last year.
According to official documents, the Hajj expenses have been increased by over 100 percent in last five years - thanks to the traditional apathy and mismanagement of ministry of religious affairs.
The religious ministry has virtually made the sacred religious ceremony out of range of the middle class, said a concerned Ehsan-ul-Haq while talking to APP.
The Hajj expenditures can easily be curtailed if proper management is ensured, he said adding the big challenge for the ministry would be to curtail Hajj Group Organisers (HGOs) hajj packages as Private scheme Hajj package is likely to cross half million mark.
According to Hajj- Policy 2013, the ministry has increased Blue category charges from Rs319,475 to Rs411,070 as comparing to last year citing lame excuses. Green category people intending to depart from Karachi, Quetta and Sukkur are required to pay Rs351,070 as comparing to last year's Rs256,975.
White category pilgrims willing to depart from Karachi, Quetta have deposited Rs285,070 each this year as comparing to Rs221,975 last year.
Blue category pilgrims willing to depart from rest of the country will have to pay Rs421,070 each this year as comparing to Rs331,475 last year.
While rest of the country Green category pilgrims are required to pay Rs361,070 this year Rs268,975 last year. Similarly, White category pilgrims have been asked to pay Rs295,070 each this year as comparing to last year same category charges of Rs233,975 each.
In 2008, Rs185,000 were charged from the Government scheme Hujjaj of Quetta and Karachi while Hujjaj from rest of country had paid Rs200,000 each as Hajj expenses.
In 2009, Hujjaj from Karachi, Quetta paid Rs185, 000 each while rest country Hujjaj had paid Rs200,000 each. In 2010 Karachi, Quetta Hujjaj was charged Rs226,000 each and Rs238,000 was charged from rest of the country Hujjaj.
In 2011, two categories Green and White were introduced. The Hujjaj from Karachi and Quetta had been charged Rs210,047 and Rs200,847 each respectively.
The Green and White category Hujjaj from rest of the country were charged Rs222,047 and Rs212,847 each respectively.
A total of 841,489 Pakistanis had performed the sacred ceremony of Hajj in last five years under Government and private scheme.
A total of 414,779 lucky persons had performed Hajj under government scheme and 426,710 under private scheme in last five years.
As many as 164,388 persons had performed Hajj in 2008 including 84,978 under Government and 79,410 under private scheme.
A total of 159,642 performed Hajj in 2009 including 75,638 under Government and 84,004 under private scheme.
As many as 159,464 luck persons had performed Hajj in 2010 including 74,843 under Government and 84,621 under private scheme. Yet another 179,117 had performed Hajj in 2011 including 90,069 under Government and 89,048 under private Hajj scheme.
Likewise 178,878 had performed Hajj in 2012 including 89,251 under Government and 89,627 under private scheme.
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