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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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According to Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, accusations made against Pakistan by Bushra Bibi, the spouse of the PTI founder, are vile and disgusting because Pakistan has historical relations to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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The defense minister stated at a press conference in Islamabad that the Kingdom should not be involved in politics for selfish reasons because of our historical, religious, and economic ties with Saudi Arabia.

2.8 million Pakistanis work in Saudi Arabia and send millions of dollars in remittances, he added, adding that making unfounded accusations against the country will hurt Pakistan’s economy.

According to him, Saudi Arabia has always stood by Pakistan throughout its most trying moments, and Pakistanis have a deep affection and connection to the Kingdom.

There is a breach among PTI ranks and files, and Khawaja Asif stated that we have never witnessed such a low point in politics.

Given the gravity of the accusation, the Minister said, former Army Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa should respond right away.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government should fight terrorism rather than target the city, he said, adding that the PTI’s demand for a demonstration on November 24 is the third strike on the federal capital.

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The Interior Ministry prohibits KP from using government machinery for PTI protests.

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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is not allowed to use the resources of the Provincial Government for a party protest, according to the Interior Ministry.

On November 24, the PTI has scheduled a protest, and Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur has declared his intention to participate.

The Federal Government arrested a number of Provincial Government officials who were ordered to participate in the violent protest in Islamabad by the PTI, and confiscated vehicles used by the KP Government against the state during the previous protest in October.

However, the Jinnah Supermarket Traders Union has petitioned the Islamabad High Court to halt the PTI demonstration in the capital and deem it unlawful.

In the petition, the head of the Traders Union has asked the court to rule that the PTI protest violates fundamental human rights by preventing companies from operating and removing the public’s ability to visit stores for necessities.

The petition asked the high court to protect the capital’s workers and PTI founder from unlawful protests.

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Planning Minister: The Nation Is Back on Track for Development

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Ahsan Iqbal, the Federal Minister for Planning and Development, asserts that the country’s youth are its future and that Pakistan has made great strides over the past 77 years, becoming the sixth nuclear state in the world today.

Speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad, Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal stated that inconsistent policies have an impact on the development process.

According to Ahsan Iqbal, the CPEC got Pakistan on its path to growth, and the government is currently moving on with phase two of the project.

The country was in danger of defaulting, but the government has put it back on course, he said.

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