Rs.47mn compensation to deceased Hujjajs’ heirs

ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Religious Affairs will pay more than Rs47 million as compensation to heirs of 158 Hujjaj who died during the Hajj-2011, by February 10.

"The ministry is paying Rs300,000 as compensation to heirs of each deceased pilgrim in phases and the process will hopefully be completed by February 10," Joint Secretary (Hajj) of the ministry told APP.

He said that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on the recommendation of the ministry has increased the compensation amount from Rs200,000 to Rs300,000 for the current year. Under the Hajj policy-2011, the amount of compensation was Rs200,000.

In the first phase, cheques amounting to Rs6 million have been distributed among 20 legal heirs of deceased Hujjaj on January 18, who was nominated in Hajj forms, after fulfilling all the codal formalities, he added.

The ministry has collected around Rs.71 million under the scheme from more than 179,000 pilgrims, who performed the religious obligation under the government and private schemes this year. Out of these, 158 Pakistani pilgrims have died in Saudi Arabia due to natural causes.

To a question, he said that claim forms are being received from heirs of deceased Hujjaj under the procedure adopted to ensure smooth and transparent disbursement.

He clarified that the compensation would be applicable to all pilgrims whether they went under the government or private schemes.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2012