Hajj pilgrims to receive Rs150,000 in subsidy from today

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Hajj pilgrims, under the government scheme, would start receiving a subsidy of Rs150,000 from today (Wednesday) as the country completed its post-operation this year.

According to state-owned Radio Pakistan, the process of disbursement of the Hajj subsidy will start from today and continue till end of this month.

In a statement, Minister for Religious Affairs Mufti Abdul Shakoor said that the government would return Rs150,000 to each pilgrims as a subsidy announced during the pre-Hajj operation.

The religious minister said a total of over Rs5.107 billion will be distributed among more than 34,000 pilgrims.

A day earlier, Religious Minister Mufti Abdul Shakoor said that the government announced the following subsidy in a bid to share the financial burden of ‘Guests of Allah Almighty’ to some extent keeping in view the sudden increase in Hajj expenses.

He said the pilgrims would be sent a short message service (SMS) on their given cellular numbers for the collection of the said funds and the nominated banks would be bound to refund the amount to Hajj pilgrims according to their convenience such as; bank account, pay order or cash.

He asked the pilgrims to contact their banks concerned within the time frame adding it was mandatory to show SMS to the bank officials for the smooth transaction of their subsidy amount.