Four categories of private Hajj packages approved by religious ministry

ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Religious Affairs has approved four categories of private Hajj packages ranging from 500,000 Rupees to 1.4 million excluding sacrifice, Radio Pakistan reported.

Most of the packages offer 250 meters residence near Haram Sharif and Masjid-e-Nabvi, while package-B residences will be 150 meters from Madina Munawwara.

The maximum package provides the facility of few meters residence from Haram Pak, Makkah and Madina, nearest residences at Jamrat Bridge, Mina, Arafat and Mazdulfa.

On the other hand, biometric verification of Hajj pilgrims of government scheme has started. The intending pilgrims would be informed about their biometric schedule via telephone or sms service.

According to the details, the process of biometric verification of intending pilgrims is being conducted at 26 centres in Faisalabad, Multan, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Sukkhar, Sialkot and Rahim Yar Khan.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Saudi government had already made biometric verification as essential for all intending Hajj pilgrims.

The use of biometric system for private Hajj pilgrims intending to go to perform Hajj through private scheme has also been made mandatory.

Earlier, Minister for Religious Affairs, Noorul Haq Qadri, on March 12, had announced names of 112,526 successful applicants who will perform Hajj under the government scheme this year.