ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs admitted before a Senate panel on Thursday that this year’s Hajj package will cost pilgrims Rs1,15000 more, ARY News reported.
The secretary concerned informed the Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony that rupee depreciation and airfare hike forced the government to jack up the Hajj cost.
At the start of the meeting, the panel’s chairman Senator Molana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri expressed displeasure over the absence of Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony Noor-ul-Haq Qadri.
The religious affairs secretary said about 1,79000 people will be able to go on holy pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia this year.
Also Read: Deportees allowed to visit Saudi Arabia for Hajj, Umrah
He said this year’s Hajj package has seen an increase of Rs1, 15000 as the North Region’s package will cost Rs5,50000 while that of the South Region Rs5,45000.
Federal Minister for religious affairs Noorul Haq Qadri had earlier said that the dismal situation with regards to currency devaluation does not allow further subsidy on Hajj.
He said that more taxes have been levied on the holy pilgrimage by Saudi Arabia that may make the Hajj more expensive this time onwards. The minister said that he and his team were working diligently to formulate a Hajj policy for this year.
