Hajj 2024: Govt in negotiations for discounted tickets to facilitate pilgrims

KARACHI - Caretaker Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Aneeq Ahmed confirmed that talks were underway with airline companies for a reduction in air tickets for Hajj pilgrims.

Addressing a ceremony in Karachi, the minsiter said this year around 90 thousand Hajjaj would go for Hajj and they all would be provided SIMs with an internet package free of cost, adding that Hajj had been digitized with the launch of an application.

Aneeq Ahmed said that the government would provide female Hajjaj with abbaya bearing a Pakistani flag on the backside of their head.

The federal government announced the Hajj policy for the upcoming year this week under which the cost of Hajj has been slashed by one hundred thousand rupees.

According to official details, there is no concept of installments for this year's Hajj and the payment has to be made in total; the Sponsorship Scheme would continue this year as well.

Those who have a valid passport valid till December 16th, 2024 are eligible to apply while if someone has applied for a passport, the token number can also be provided in the application which is also acceptable.

'All Muslim Pakistanis are eligible to apply for this year's Hajj,' stated the spokesperson of the mininstry but added that those who have performed Hajj in 2017 or onwards are not eligible to apply for Hajj.

However, the spokesperson confirmed that those who apply through Sponsorship Scheme or those who are going to the pilgrimage as Mehram (Guardian) of a woman can perform Hajj in 2024 even if they have performed Hajj in 2017 or subsequent years after that.    

For this year, the Short and Long Hajj package is available to both regular applicants and Sponsorship Scheme applicants.

As far as the Long Hajj is concerned, it would encompass 38-42 days with 8 days stay in Medinah and those flying from South region i.e. Karachi, and Sukkhur would have to pay Rs 10,65,000 while those from other cities i.e. Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Multan, Sialkot, Faisalabad would pay Rs 10,75,000.

For Sponsorship scheme applicants, the cost is $3765 for South Region while it is $ 3800 for North region.