Govt to bear expenditures of Hajj sacrificial animals this year

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs Senator and Interfaith Harmony Talha Mahmood on Sunday announced that the federal government will bear the expenditures of the sacrificial animals by itself during Hajj this year.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the federal minister said that the government was taking all-out steps to provide maximum facilities to intending pilgrims for Hajj this year.

Talha Mehmood said 185,000 intending pilgrims from Pakistan will perform the religious ritual this year.

He noted that the expenditures related to sacrificing of animals were included in the hajj expenditures and the intending pilgrims will not have to incur additional costs in this regard.

The Senator said that the rise in hajj expenditures this year is due to devaluation of Pakistani rupee and a comparison of full hajj costs will be shared with the nation soon.

Referring to Road to Makkah project, he said currently only Islamabad airport was authorised for this facility and the intending pilgrims leaving from the federal capital will be facilitated through it.

He said Immigration of 26,000 intending pilgrims would be made from Islamabad airport.

Earlier, Minister for Religious Affairs Muhammad Talha Mahmood said Hajj training was mandatory for all intending pilgrims and all the participants would be awarded certificates.

He warned that if anyone did not attend the training session as per schedule, it would create issues for the intending pilgrims at the airport while proceeding to Saudi Arabia to perform the sacred obligation.

Shedding light on the significance of these training sessions designed for the intending pilgrims, the minister said it would help them in performing the Hajj rites in a more appropriate manner.