- 179,210 Pakistani nationals to perform Hajj next year under new policy
- Compensation for deceased pilgrims’ heirs increased from Rs1m to Rs2m and for injured to Rs1m
ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Tuesday approved Hajj Policy 2025, featuring several measures to ensure best facilities to Pakistani hajj pilgrims and pave the way for 179,210 Pakistani nationals to perform Hajj next year.
As per the Policy, the Hajj quota will be split evenly between government and private schemes and those under 12 years of age will not be allowed to travel for Hajj, according to a PM Office press release.
The cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was told that selection under the government scheme will be made through a computerised balloting.
As per policy, 1,000 seats would be allocated for hardship cases and 300 for laborers and low-income employees registered under the Employees Old-Age Benefit Institution or Workers Welfare Fund.
Under the policy, Road to Makkah facility would be available at Islamabad and Karachi international airports.
Similarly, Hajj Group Organisers would sign a Service Provider Agreement with the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which would be strictly monitored.
Under the policy, a new portfolio of Nazim (administrator) has been introduced to facilitate the pilgrims. One Nazim, to be selected from among the welfare staff, will be appointed for 100 pilgrims each.
Under the policy, the compensation for the heirs of the deceased pilgrim has been increased from Rs1 million to Rs2 million while the injured would be given Rs1 million.
During the meeting, the cabinet members were briefed that a special Hajj Management App has been developed to facilitate the pilgrims and arrangements have been made for their training.
The cabinet called for preference to the intended pilgrims who could not succeed during the last year’s balloting. The meeting also stressed the need for taking all-out measures for the facilitation of the pilgrims.
Meanwhile, the cabinet also approved the appointment of Saeed Iqbal, Moazzam Ahmed, Madiha Khalid, Usman Haider and Muhammad Sajjad Farouqui to the board of Public Private Partnership Authority (PPPA) as private members.
The cabinet, on the finance ministry’s recommendation, gave post facto approval to the agreement on transfer of Foreign Commercial Financing Facility from London Interbank Offered Rate to Secured Overnight Financing Rate.
The meeting approved the Jammu and Kashmir Estate Property Budget for fiscal year 2024-25, besides endorsing an agreement between Directorate General of Ports and Shipping Karachi and Bahria Classification Society on the certification of the classification of ships.
