Saudia asked to exempt Pakistani Hajj pilgrims from food charges

RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousaf Friday said the final list of successful intending pilgrims who would perform the religious obligation under the government scheme would be issued on May 15. This year around 56,684 and 86,684 pilgrims would be sent to Saudi Arabia under the both government and private schemes for Hajj respectively. The Minister said the ministry was compiling 1, 27,000 applications it received under the government scheme and hopefully the process would be completed by May 15 on First come First served basis. He was talking to reporters at Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad after inaugurating the direct flight operation of Flynas Airlines from Islamabad to Saudi Arabia and back. He said four airlines including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Flynas Shaheen and Saudi Airlines would participate in the pre and post Hajj flight operations to airlift Pakistani pilgrims to the Holy land and bring them back. On special directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, he said hajj package has been reduced by Rs 23 000 per pilgrim as part of the government’s commitment to extend maximum facilities to the guests of Allah Almighty. Replaying to a question, Sardar Yousaf said the ministry has made a special request with the Saudi authorities to exempt Pakistani Hujjaj from submitting food charges to be served to Hujjaj during their stay in Saudi Arabia. However, he said there would be no increase in the Hajj package which the governments already announced for both the South and North regions of the country. The government will itself bear all additional charges if imposed by the Saudi authorities. He said all out efforts were being made to ensure the Hajj arrangements flawless and smooth, adding a special committee has already been assigned the task to acquire residential buildings for Pakistani hujjaj in Saudi Arabia.