ISLAMABAD: The Federal Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony on Friday precluded banks from receiving Hajj applications from Feb 24 till further directives in this regard, reported ARY News.
The ministry instructed all the designated branches of banks to not receive applications and wait for further directives, saying it would unveil a final date for submission of applications later on.
It directed that no bank will receive any form or fee thereof as per the previous schedule.
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Sources privy to the development said the ministry is likely to announce a new date the next week.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the ministry said it has finalised all arrangements but barred the designated banks from receiving applications for some technical reasons. He added a new date would be announced soon.
This year a total of 179,210 pilgrims would perform the sacred obligation of Haj including 60 per cent of them under the government scheme and 40 per cent under the private scheme.
The government scheme Haj package has already been reduced to Rs480,000 and Rs470,000 for northern and southern regions respectively.
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The applicants of over 70-year age should clearly tick at the quota column given in the application for ensuring automatic selection. The applicants, who had already applied in the last three years 2017, 2018 and 2019, should write application numbers of their last three Haj applications for ensuring automatic selection.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Feb 11 rejected an increase of 105 thousand rupees on annual Hajj package announced earlier by Minister for religious affairs.
