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Govt reduces Haj expenses by Rs100,000

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  • Banks to receive applications from Nov 27-Dec 12. 
  • Govt decides to introduce 20-25 day short package. 
  • Minister says there would be no compromise on quality. 

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Minister for Religious Affairs Aneeq Ahmed announced the Haj Policy 2024, slashing the expenses for the holy sojourn by Rs100,000 compared to last year, The News reported Friday. 

Ahmed, while unveiling the salient features of the Haj Policy 2024, said that scheduled banks can start receiving applications under the regular scheme from November 27 to December 12.

The minister said that along with a long-duration Haj package of 38 to 42 days, the government has also decided to introduce a short-duration package of 20 to 25 days.

He said the Haj cost under the government scheme has been reduced to Rs1,075,000 for the next Haj compared to the Rs1,175,000 charged for this year’s Haj but assured that there would be no compromise on the quality of arrangements regardless of the reduction in expenses. 

However, the government would charge Rs75,000 as the extra amount for the short-duration package. The minister said that Haj expenses for applicants from the southern region of the country would be Rs1,065,000 with an additional Rs75,000 for short duration package. An amount of Rs60,000 would be received as charges for sacrificial animals.

The religious affairs minister said the Haj quota for Pakistan is 17,9210, and will be equally distributed between the government and private Haj operators.

Ahmed said negotiations are continuing with the airlines to get reduced airfare for the Haj operation. 

“If we succeed in securing relief in the airfare, the amount will be transferred to the accounts of pilgrims.” 

He said the pilgrims would get back Rs35,000 if they choose to stay for four days instead of eight days in Madina.

As a salient feature of the Haj Policy, permission has been granted to women having no mahram to apply for Haj in light of recommendations of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII). However, such women would have to get permission from their parents or husbands with the condition that they would select a group having trustworthy people.

Those who have performed Haj in the last five years would not be eligible to submit applications. However, a Mehram accompanying a woman who is performing Haj for the first time and those who apply as per the sponsorship scheme would be exempted from the same restriction.

Both the government’s regular scheme and private would have a quota of 89,605 each. From the government scheme, a quota of 25,000 has been fixed for the sponsorship scheme while 50% of the private scheme would be reserved for the sponsorship scheme.

Those applying under the sponsorship scheme would have to submit expenses in foreign exchange ($4,015) and they would be accommodated on a first come first served basis.

The caretaker minister said Haj 2024 will be digitalised wherein pilgrims will get a mobile application that can be used without internet. The app will have many features, including an option to lodge their complaints. 

He said the pilgrims would be provided with free-of-cost things including a SIM with seven GB of data, a suitcase having a QR code, Ihram belts for men, an abaya for women and shoe bags.

He added that apart from Islamabad airport, Karachi has also been included in the Road to Makkah project adding they have requested the Saudi government to include Lahore in the same. 

Under the project, the Saudi teams carry out immigration, security and customs checks of intending pilgrims before their departure for the Kingdom. 

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Combating Terrorism: Twelve Terrorists Destroyed in Separate Operations by Security Forces

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Eleven terrorists and Kharijis were killed in two separate intelligence-based operations in Balochistan’s Miran Shah District and North Waziristan. One of the victims was Sana Alias Baru, a high-value target.

In the vicinity of Miran Shah in North Waziristan, security forces successfully fought the Khwarij, leading to the death of eight and injury of six.

The general region of Balgatar, Kech District, Balochistan was earlier the scene of an Intelligence-Based Operation that resulted in the deaths of four terrorists, one of them was a high-value target.

Authorities in Kech District were actively seeking Baru, who had a pivotal role in recruiting members of the so-called Majeed Brigade, particularly suicide bombers.

Among the terrorists’ possessions were weapons and ammo.

In order to eradicate any lingering terrorists in the vicinity, a sanitation operation is currently under progress.

With unwavering resolve, the Pakistani security forces will eradicate the terrorist threat from the nation.

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Constitutional Bench Gets to Work: Petitions Dismissed, Fines Slapped on Frivolous Petitioners

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As of today, pending matters are being heard by the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench, which was established under the 26th Amendment to the Constitution.

On its first day of operation, the six-judge Constitutional Bench presided over by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan dismissed several frivolous petitions, including one challenging legislation enacted by the PDM government, and fined the petitioner twenty thousand rupees for bringing the case.

Justices Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Musarrat Hilali, and Naeem Akhtar Afghan make up the Constitutional Bench, along with Justice Amin.

The bench rejected the appeal challenging the decision of the Supreme Court to appoint Qazi Faez Isa, a former chief justice of Pakistan, to the position of chief justice of the Balochistan high court.

In addition to upholding the Registrar Office’s objections, the Constitutional Bench rejected a petition asking for a change to the general election date on 8 February.

It has become an infructuous affair, the bench said, regarding the review of the Supreme Court’s decision on the review of judgment and order.

Justice Amin Uddin told the Attorney General that the Supreme Court has acknowledged parliament’s involvement in legislation in response to his claim that the verdict has commented on parliament’s position as legislative.

The bench found the petitioner’s claims to be baseless and fined them 20,000 rupees, dismissing their request to outlaw marriages between government employees and foreign nationals.

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Ahsan says all available resources should be used to eradicate smog at the air pollution meeting.

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According to Ahsan Iqbal, the country’s minister of planning and development, a non-traditional approach is required to address the pollution problem, and every available resource would be used to eradicate this grave issue.

Children are disproportionately affected by pollution, the Planning Minister stated during a special meeting on smog and air pollution in Islamabad.

He claimed that cooperation between the federal government and the provinces is urgently needed to address the various problems that climate change has caused in Pakistan.

Smog is interfering with everyday activities, the Minister added, and it has grown to be a serious threat to our future.

Burning crop residue is the cause of smog, he claimed.

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