Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor on Saturday held a comprehensive meeting with Finance Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar and discussed Hajj Policy 2023, Hajj Sponsorship Scheme, payment of funds to Saudi Arabia and Federally Administered Tribal Areas reforms.
According to the official sources in the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, the finance minister had hinted at arranging a foreign exchange for Hajj despite the difficult economic situation in the country.
They said the finance minister had assured all possible support to the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony for Hajj arrangements, adding that the government would take all possible measures for the ease and convenience of Allah Almighty’s guests.
The sources said Hajj Sponsorship Scheme was only for overseas Pakistanis or their relatives. Pakistanis remitting foreign exchange from abroad to the designated accounts would be able to benefit from this scheme, they maintained.
They said it was decided in principle to fix the quota of Hajj Sponsorship Scheme at 50 per cent while the other 50 per cent quota for public and private Hajj scheme.
The religious affairs ministry’s sources said under the regular Hajj Scheme, Hajj applications would be collected in designated Pakistani banks as per ex-post.
They also hinted that the estimated Hajj expenses at current dollar rates were between Rs 1.1 or 1.2 million.
They said the religious affairs minister would formally announce receipt of Hajj applications after approval from the federal cabinet next week. Receipt of the Government Hajj Scheme applications would likely to start from March 13, the sources concluded.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Saturday expressed a firm commitment to extend maximum support and cooperation for facilitating the Hajjis to make the religious event successful.
The minister chaired a meeting on Hajj Policy-2023 as Mufti Abdul Shakoor, Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, SAPM on Finance Tariq Bajwa, Special Secretary of Finance and senior officers from Finance and Religious Affairs ministries were among the attendees.
The meeting was apprised of the Hajj-2023 policy. It was informed that more than 179,000 Pakistanis were expected to perform Hajj this year.
Minister for Religious Affairs informed the finance minister about certain issues related to foreign exchange and sought his support.
Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar stated that “Hajj is a sacred religious obligation to be performed by every Muslim and we have to contribute our part for the blessings of Almighty Allah”.
The minister committed to extending maximum support and cooperation in facilitating the Hajjis to make the religious event successful. Minister for Religious Affairs thanked the finance minister for cooperation and support.
