Times of Islamabad

Hajj Policy 2019 salient features revealed

Hajj Policy 2019 salient features revealed

ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government would announcethe Hajj policy 2019 in the second week of January 2019, said officialsources in Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony onWednesday.

According to sources, the draft of Hajj Policy 2019 was being finalizedafter consultations with all stakeholders and organizing consultativeworkshops at several cities. The applications for securing a berth inGovernment Hajj Scheme would be invited from the general public by lastweek of January 2019.

The ministry was contemplating to retain the quota for government andprivate Hajj operators by 60:40 respectively, he said adding that theministry has proposed open sky policy for airlines to transport Hujjaj toSaudi Arabia.

The ministry, he said may allot quota to new Hajj Group Organisers (HGOs).

He said 184,210 Pakistanis would perform Hajj next year following theincrease of country’s Hajj quota by 5,000 pilgrims as compared to thisyear’s pilgrimage. The Saudi government has already been asked to furtherenhance Hajj quota of Pakistan.

The Hajj dues of the applicants would be kept in Sharia Complaintremunerative accounts. Pakistanis will be given E-visas.

He said the ministry has imposed strict conditions on scheduled banks,receiving Hajj applications of Government Hajj Scheme during Hajj 2019.