ISLAMABAD: Hajj operations are progressing as per plan and the first Hajj flight would depart from Islamabad to Madina on the night falling between June 5 and 6.
Minister for Religious Affairs Mufti Abdul Shakoor announced this at a press conference on Tuesday. He announced the expenses of the government’s Hajj scheme for the year 2022, saying the government has approved a subsidy of Rs150,000 for each pilgrim.
“The Hajj expenses for the northern region are up to Rs851,000 while the expenses for the southern region are up to Rs860,000.” The minister said that the mandatory expenses are 52%, airfare 21% and other expenses 27%.
“The Hajj package is announced after the approval from the cabinet. We have inherited the expensive package from the previous PTI government. If it had not been overthrown, the expenses would have gone up to Rs1.1 million,” said Mufti Shakoor.
The minister said that Hajj has been with a limited quota after two years, adding that Pakistan’s quota has been reduced from 180,000 to 81,210 because of Covid-19.
