New passport mandatory for Hajj applicants

No one can fly to Saudi Arabia from Pakistan to perform Hajj without new Machine Readable Passports and the Haj applications from Pakistani Muslims under government scheme must be submitted to the banks till July 11. Director Haj Lahore, Farogh Aftab Zaidi said this while talking to APP here Monday. He said the old procedure of issuing Haj passports by Religious Ministry has been abolished from this year.
He said that the banks have been assigned the task to receive applications from Pakistanis and no relaxation for passport is allowed under any circumstances. Earlier, the Directorate of Haj Operations organised a briefing seminar to train 408 bank officers from six leading banks regarding Haj under Government Scheme.
The bank officers Sher Afzal Swati Manager Haj Operations ABL, Ibrar Ahmad Manager Operations MCB, Asmatullah NBP, Ikram Ahmad from ZTBL and Haider Ali from UBL attended the briefing seminar. Addressing the participants, Farogh Aftab Zaidi termed filing of application as 1st phase of Haj Operation and foundation of all procedure till the completion of Haj in Saudi Arabia.
He said that for the first time, the governments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have decided to make the Machine Readable Passports (MRP) mandatory for getting Haj Visa. "Banks must ensure that the applicant attached the copy of MRP along with his application, failing to the applicant may not even qualify for entering in the balloting of Haj visas" he said.
He assured the bank officers' full co-operation by the Religious Ministry and the Directorate of Haj from filing of applications till the completion of Haj operation. Deputy Director Iftikhar Muhammad said that according to the new policy, the applicant who will not refund his dues from the bank for one year, will be granted Haj visa next year without balloting. Iftikhat also briefed the officers regarding their duties for filing the applications besides informing the applicants about new rule and regulations of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.