New Haj policy comes out with high expenses

ISLAMABAD - The government after passing through prolonged litigation process Monday announced Haj Policy 2008 and according to that 164,647 pilgrims will perform Haj this year with marked increase in expenditure and compulsion of Computerised National Identity Card.

Advisor to Prime Minister on Religious Affairs, Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi, while announcing Haj Policy told that as many as 164,647 pilgrims from Pakistan would perform Haj in 2008. "Out of these, 85,000 will go under government scheme and 79,647 under the Haj Group Organiser (HGO) scheme," he added.

He said that applications for Haj under the Government Haj Scheme (GHS) would be received from August 7 to 18 and balloting would be held in the first week of October if the applications received exceeded the available seats. The Advisor said that the applicants who had been unsuccessful in ballot during the last two years consecutively would be declared successful without ballot.

Giving details of dues under the GHS, he said total Haj expenditure from Karachi and Quetta would be Rs 185,000 and Rs 200,000 would be charged from other stations. Air fare from Karachi/Quetta was Rs 70,000, while from other stations it was Rs 85,000, he explained. Other charges include; rent of accommodation in Makkah/Madina, Rs 66,600, compulsory Haj dues, Rs 21,978, personal exchange quota, Rs 23, 997, terminal taxes, Rs 1425, and vaccination charges, Rs 1000. He said that mandatory requirement of Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) for filing of Haj application would remain intact.

Kazmi told that no Haj application would be entertained for repeat Haj if the applicant had performed Haj during the last five years, except if the applicant be Mahram of a lady who had not performed Haj earlier or applicant be the group leader as Haj expert or applicant was performing Haj-e-Badal.

The Advisor said that the flight operation would start from November 3 and end on January 13. "In arrangement with PIA, 30,000 Hujjaj will be flown to Madina directly. Those arriving in Madina shall depart from Jeddah and vice versa," he maintained. Kazmi told that after deduction of compulsory Haj dues, accommodation charges and special services payable to Saudi Agencies, the balance amount in foreign exchange would be provided in cash to intending pilgrims before their departure to meet day-to-day expenses in Saudi Arabia.

Talking on allocation of seats under government Haj scheme, he said that the President, Prime Minister, Chairman Senate, Speaker National Assembly, Governors, and Chief Ministers had been allowed 50 seats each, 10 seats were allocated for each Member of Parliament, 500 seats earmarked for labour/sponsored Haj, 500 seats for overseas Pakistanis, 150 seats for Hajis performing Haj under Haj Foundation Scheme and 60 seats earmarked for PIA employees.

On HGO scheme, the Advisor said that the Ministry would enrol HGOs for Haj-2008 amongst those who were enrolled for Haj-2007 in view of policy of the Saudi government. Kazmi said that the Saudi government had already published the list of 591 tour operators and the Ministry would shortlist the operators keeping in the view criteria for enrolment of HGOs for Haj 2008.

The Advisor told that the Ministry was giving highest priority to train pilgrims and would hire services of master trainer for the teaching of Arabic and Islamic studies from the departments of different universities and would also seek the services of volunteers to impart training to pilgrims up to tehsil level. "Update CDs on Haj are made available in Haji Camps at a nominal price for the benefit of the pilgrims," he told, adding that Haj booklets Anwar-e-Harmain and Aamal-e-Haj would be provided to pilgrims.