The Pakistani government on Monday decided to accept all 72,869 applications received for the Regular Hajj Scheme 2023 category, without balloting.
The Cabinet’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) made the decision during a meeting presided over by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, after considering a summary submitted by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony on the utilization of the Hajj quota and its financing.
The Ministry’s summary presented details regarding the Hajj Policy-2023, the count of applications received for the Regular Hajj Scheme, the unused quota under the regular and sponsorship Hajj schemes, and the financial requisites.
Pakistan’s total quota for Hajj 2023 is 179,210 pilgrims.
Previously, banks in the country had received 72,869 Hajj applications against the government’s Regular Scheme quota of 44,190. The ECC also approved an additional financial requirement of $163 million of foreign exchange for Hajj 2023.
According to the Hajj Policy 2023, announced earlier this month, pilgrims in the northern part of Pakistan will pay Rs1.175 million for Hajj under the ‘regular scheme’, while people in the southern part will be charged Rs1.165 million.
“The price of Hajj has risen due to rupee devaluation,” Mufti Abdul Shakoor stated.
This decision by the Pakistani government is expected to bring relief to thousands of applicants who were anxious about the outcome of the balloting process. Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and all able-bodied Muslims who can afford it are expected to perform it at least once in their lifetime. The pilgrimage to Mecca is a significant event for Muslims around the world and is a time of spiritual reflection, community, and devotion.
Hajj Training to start from 28 April
Hajj pilgrims selected for this year will receive training starting from April 28 in Lahore. The training program will be conducted for 28,000 pilgrims in Lahore, Sialkot, and Faisalabad.
The Hajj flight operation, which includes the use of Pakistan International Airlines and private carriers, will commence next month.
Saudi Arabia is hosting a significant number of pilgrims this year, approximately 2.3 million, after lifting pandemic restrictions for the first time. During the 2022 Hajj season, one million individuals participated, but only those between the ages of 18 and 65 who were fully vaccinated or immune to the virus and did not have any chronic illnesses were permitted to enter the kingdom.