ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s minister for religious affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf informed media on Wednesday that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has approved Hajj Policy 2014.
The minister said that according to the policy, banks will start accepting applications from 21 April 2014 from first come, first served basis.
This year, 56000 Pakistanis will go for Hajj through government scheme will private travel agencies will carry 86000 pilgrims.
About the expenditure, Minister informed media that Karachi, Quetta and Sukkur pilgrims will have to spend 262000 while those belonging to Islamabad, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan and Sialkot will have to pay 272000 Pakistani rupees for Hajj.
Yusuf said that due to the expansion project of Masjid-Ul-Haram, this year 20 percent less pilgrims will reach Saudi Arabia.
The new Hajj policy states that anyone who has performed Hajj during the last five years will not be eligible to partake in the pilgrimage this year except for those people who will be going as ‘Mehram’ or the ones performing ‘Hajj-e-Badal’.
