Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, while addressing a press conference, said the Ministry would allocate a quota of 15,000 pilgrims of Government Scheme to private scheme on prorate basis to Government Scheme and Private Hajj Group Organisers (HGOs) functional in Hajj 2013, as per memorandum of understanding (MoU) concluded between the Ministry and Hajj Group Organisers Association of Pakistan (HOAP).
He maintained that applications for Hajj-2014 under Government Hajj Scheme be received on the principle of "First come, first serve" and there shall be no free Hajj as per practice in vogue. The applications under Government Scheme will be invited through designated banks w.e.f. 21-04-2014.
He said 'Hajj Scheme 2014' shall be implemented through HGOs in the ratio of 50:50. Any person who had performed Hajj during the last five years would not be eligible to perform Hajj that year except Mehram or the one undertaking Haj-e-Badal, the minister maintained. Highlighting the salient features of the Hajj Policy 2014, the Minister said that under the Government Hajj Scheme Hajj package for south region (Karachi, Quetta & Sukkur) would be Rs 262,231 and for north region (Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Faisalabad and Sialkot) would be Rs 272,231 as compared to Rs 285,070 (south) and Rs 295,070 (north) of white category of last year. "An additional amount of Rs 14,500 will be required from those applicants who opt to perform their Qurbani through Islamic Development Bank."
Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said that under the Government Hajj Scheme, shared accommodation at four square meters per Haji as per Saudi Taleemat, with a rental ceiling of SR 3000/- per pilgrim would be provided. The rent in Makkah Mukarramah would be charged on actual basis while in case of Madinah Munawwarah, it would be charged at a flat rate of SR 500 per pilgrim, he added. Yousuf further said that five percent of the total seats under government scheme would be reserved for hardship cases and for pilgrims recommended and funded by charitable institutions, labour/low paid employees of different pub1ic sector organisations/ corporate entities under the concept of corporate social responsibility, etc.
Each applicant would be required to undertake at the time of submitting Hajj application that before departure he/she would arrange minimum personal exchange quota (PEQ) of SR 1500/- on his/her own, to meet personal and Qurbani expenditure in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, he maintained.
The Minister said Hujjaj would be airlifted by designated air carriers as per revised Air Service Agreement (ASA) between Government of Pakistan and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. "The airline shall charge Rs 97,700 from south region and Rs 107,700 from north region inclusive of all taxes. Under the Government Scheme, 50 percent of Hujjaj will be transported/airlifted directly to Madinah from Pakistan and vice versa," he added. He maintained that for Hajj 2014, the allocation of service business to HGOs functional in 2013 would remain unchanged.
After the finalisation of verification and scrutiny process, the Ministry would consider allocation of appropriate quota to the enrolled companies strictly in accordance with the merit. The Minister said that for the welfare services during Hajj-2014, Hajj Medical Mission comprising 450 personnel, 300 Moavineen-e-Hujjaj, 270 seasonal duty staff and 400 Local Khuddam-ul-Hujjaj in KSA would be deputed subject to availability of resources. A comprehensive awareness, campaign for education and training of the intending pilgrims would be launched, he added. Hujjaj Mohafiz Scheme based on the concept of "Takaful" would be continued in Hajj Policy-2014. Death compensation had been enhanced from Rs 300,000 to Rs 500,000, he said.