On Friday, a parliamentary panel, recommended virulent Hajj expenses, as the government had highly increased these expenditures everyone is blaming exchange rates and high aircraft fare rates as the major reasons. The Senate Standing Committee of Religious Affairs held a meeting for this regard at Parliament House.
Under the chairmanship of the Senator Moulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri. The meeting was undertaking by Senators Brig(R) John Kenneth Williams, Sir Muhammad Yousaf Badni, Sir Abida Muhammad Azeem along with senior officers from ministries.
New Hajj Policy 2019
The Senate Standing Committee of religious affairs and Interfaith Harmony has called for highly strict monitoring of private Hajj tours operator and stressed the need for a virulent ion of airfares about Hajj in favor of pilgrims and enabling the common person to perform Hajj and Umrah comfortably.
The committee was necessarily briefed on the Hajj policy 2019 and Hajj expenditures with a particular reference to the recent increase in charges along with their relevant reasons.
The ministry showed a brief report to the committee, that, explaining all aspects of the Hajj policy. The committee was informed that the Hajj expenses were increasing due to a rise in stock exchange rates and aircraft fare rates.
The committee was also concerned over to increasing rates of private tour organizer and ordered the ministry to control and monitor them, as they are legally registered with the ministry.
It is also ordered that their profit should remain below the limit of 10%. During the orientation of the Umrah policy, the committee was informed that the ministry did not regulate Umrah and at present, the interested pilgrims directly approach different tour operators for performing Umrah.
Hajj 2019 Expenses
The ministry informed the committee about steps being taken to start the umrah services. Under the Government’s scheme, Hajj 2019’s expenses are Rs. 436,975 and 426,975 for North Pakistan and South Pakistan distinguishably. Qurbani or sacrificial animal’s charges will be Rs. 19,451.
Similarly, aircraft fares have also been grown from Rs. 93,000 to Rs. 110,000 for north and from Rs. 84,000 to Rs. 100,000 for the south, due to an increase in US Dollar price.
The committee recommended that the aircraft fare should be a review so that the common person can perform Hajj at minimum rates. Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has ordered a Hajj and Umrah Secure Management Bill 2019 for protecting the interests of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.
