ISLAMABAD – Hajj Balloting under government scheme held in Islamabad today.
Mister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noor-ul-Haq Qadriperformed the balloting.
Two hundred sixteen thousand six hundred and twenty three people hadapplied for Hajj this year.
Result of the balloting has been uploaded on official web site of Ministryof Religious Affairs and applicants also be informed via SMS. Speaking onthe occasion, the minister said one hundred eighty-four thousand twohundred and ten Pakistani pilgrims will perform Haj this year.
Of them, one hundred twelve thousand five hundred and twenty-six willperform Hajj under the government scheme and seventy-one thousand sixhundred and eighty-four under private scheme.
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He said that the intending pilgrims who have been applying for Hajj for thelast three years will be allowed to perform Hajj without balloting.Similarly, the pilgrims above eighty years of age will also be allowed Hajjwithout balloting.
Noorul Haq Qadri said a revolutionary step this year is that Saudi Crownprince Muhammad Bin Salman has announced to include Pakistani Hajis in theRoad to Mecca programme, under which the pilgrims will be provided customsclearance and immigration facility at Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, andPeshawar airports.
He said a high level Saudi delegation will visit Pakistan next month towork out modalities of the scheme.
