After performing balloting under the government Hajj Scheme, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noorul Haq Qadri on Thursday said that a total of 179,000 Pakistani pilgrims will perform Hajj this year.
Speaking at a presser here, he said that 149,295 hajj applications were received this year, of which 105,413 have been selected under the government scheme through computerized open balloting.
Qadri said that 7,648 applicants, who remained unsuccessful for the last three consecutive years, would be selected without balloting, adding the successful candidates were required to submit their medical certificates by March 19 at their respective banks.
He said that the names of the candidates were picked through a transparent balloting by the ministry. Qadri said that the three successful candidates of Hajj balloting include Syed Shoaib Ahmed of Bahawalpur, Muhammad Anwar Zulfi, Islamabad and Kiramat Khan, Lakki Marwat.
The minister said that rest of the results will be sent to the applicants via SMS and would also be made available online at the official websites i.e. and .
He said that the unsuccessful applicants could take their money back from their respective banks as announced by the ministry. Qadri said that a group could be consisted of only one pilgrims and maximum of 14 aspirants.
The minister also said that Pakistani Hajj pilgrims had been included in the road to Makkah project under which their customs, immigration would be held at Karachi, Lahore, Quetta and Islamabad airports.
According to the Hajj Policy 2020, initially 179,210 Pakistanis will perform the sacred religious obligation. Some 10,000 seats have been reserved for senior citizens as per government Hajj Scheme. 1,000 seats are reserved for overseas Pakistanis.
The government Hajj package (per person) is Rs463,445 for the north region and Rs486,270 for the south region excluding Qurbani (sacrifice). However, Rs486,270 and Rs478,520 for north and south regions respectively with Qurbani.
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