Dr. Aneeq Ahmed, the acting federal minister for religious affairs, declared on Wednesday that government Haj spending would be significantly cut by Rs. 0.1 million while maintaining “uncompromised facilities.”
Notably, each pilgrim will receive a 30 kilogram luggage, and for the first time, female pilgrims will receive abayas (scarves) with the national flag on them.
At a press conference held at Haji Camp Karachi, Dr. Ahmed announced the launch of a smartphone application designed to assist pilgrims.
With the help of this app, pilgrims will be able to navigate and stay in continual communication with the appropriate authorities.
The app will eventually offer a number of regional languages in addition to Urdu and English at launch.
Dr. Ahmed disclosed that Islamabad and Karachi have been included into Saudi Arabia’s Road to Makkah initiative, highlighting advancements in the Haj procedure.
By include this, pilgrims’ journeys are streamlined and the immigration process can be completed at Karachi airport.
A 20-day short Haj package has also been introduced by the government in an effort to increase residents’ financial accessibility to Haj.
Since the journey to New Mina is difficult for Pakistani pilgrims, efforts are being made to guarantee that they are housed in tents at Old Mina.
Dr. Ahmed emphasized that Pakistan has obtained 179,000 Haj seats, of which half are set up for private Haj operators.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs will supervise these companies in order to ensure pilgrims’ safety, and the ministry will bear responsibility for any problems encountered by individuals completing the Haj through private companies.
Dr. Ahmed also emphasized the dedication to improving pilgrimage amenities by pointing out the ongoing renovations being done at the Haji Camp Karachi facility.
In terms of costs, Dr. Ahmed made it clear that qurbani (sacrifice) costs for the Haj are not included in the package that was previously disclosed.
Further, intended pilgrims who choose a shorter stay in Medina would have their Haj fees lowered by an additional Rs 35,000.
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