Hajj 2022: Religious affairs ministry yet to unveil flight operation schedule

KARACHI: The Ministry of Religious Affairs has delayed the announcement of flight operation for Hajj 2022 as it failed to make a final decision, ARY News reported on Monday.

The ministry has once again postponed the announcement Hajj 2022 policy for Pakistani pilgrims and stopped the airlines from unveiling their flight operation packages.

The session for finalising the Hajj policy chaired by the secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs remained inconclusive.

Sources told ARY News that the Hajj flight operation has been restricted to five cities instead of eight, whereas, the Hajj flights will begin on June 5 or 6.

READ: PIA LIKELY TO KICK-OFF HAJJ OPERATION FROM MAY 31

The airlines including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) are facing difficulties to devise the Hajj flight plans that had earlier been decided to commence from May 31.

Sources privy to the development told ARY News that the postponement of the Hajj flight schedule will further increase the mismanagement.

Earlier, ARY News had reported that the Hajj schedule is likely to be delayed due to administrative flaws which increase the troubles of the Hajj pilgrims across the country.

Hajj pilgrims are completely unaware of the expected expenditures and arrangements as the government delayed the announcement of the policy which is usually released 30 days prior to the commencement of the flight operations.

The Hajj operators, hotels and airline administration have also expressed concerns over the delay but the new minister Qazi Abdul Shakoor is seemingly reluctant to make the final announcement as yet.

Quota for Pakistani pilgrims

The religious affairs ministry has finalised arrangements with 81,000 allowed to travel to the Kingdom this year.

According to the ministry, 31,253 aspiring pilgrims will perform Hajj this year as Pakistan was given the quota of 86,000 pilgrims in 2022. The names of 32,000 successful applicants will be announced after balloting in accordance with the 40 per cent government quota.

The quota for pilgrims has been divided into 60% and 40% for private and government tour operators respectively, it was learnt.

It had been recommended to charge Rs945,000 for government-facilitated Hajj while private tour operators will be allowed to charge above Rs1.2 million for the pilgrimage.

It is to be noted that Saudi Arabia has allotted the second-highest quota of Hajj pilgrims to Pakistan after the Kingdom allowed one million people to perform the holy pilgrimage this year.