Govt announces date for submission, balloting of Hajj applications

Issuing the Hajj policy and plan on Ministry of Religious Affairs website for this year, the government has announced that applications for Hajj will be accepted from February 25 till March 6.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has issued a list of salient features. According to the announcement, there will be no free Hajj and the Hajj dues for northern areas will be Rs 436,975 which include Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Sialkot, Faisalabad Multan and Rahim Yar Khan. Whereas, For Karachi, Sukkur and Quetta, the dues will be Rs 426,975.

The banks that will receiving the Hajj applications are Habib Bank Limited, United Bank Limited, National Bank of Pakistan, MCB Bank Limited, Allied Bank Limited, Bank of Punjab, Meezan Bank, Bank Al Habib, Zarai Taraqiati Bank, Faysal Bank, Habibmetro Bank Limited and Dubai Islamic Bank.

The computerized balloting of these applications will be done on March 8. This year 1,84,210 pilgrims will be performing Hajj. Of the total, 10,000 seats will be reserved for people who have been unsuccessful in ballot continuously for the past three years. Whereas, 10,000 seats will be reserved for senior citizens above the age of 80 years.