ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is expected to announce the Hajj policy for this year in March after getting approval from the federal cabinet.
According to an official of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the summary for the Hajj policy would be sent to the cabinet in first week of the next month, adding that it would be formally announced after approval from the government.
The cost for the pilgrimage is being decided by the authorities concerned, keeping in view various factors including record depreciation in value of the local currency.
The annual Hajj pilgrimage is expected to cost Rs1.1 million this year, reports said, adding that the final cost would be announced by the government after deciding the matter with the Saudi authorities.
The ministry official said there was a proposal to fix a 25 percent quota for overseas Pakistanis who can pay in dollars through international remittances.
Last year, the government provided a subsidy of Rs4.88 billion which cut the cost for each pilgrim under the government scheme by Rs150,000.
Earlier this year, the kingdom restored Pakistan’s pre-pandemic Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims while revoking the upper age limit of 65 years.
How many pilgrims would perform Hajj this year? Saudi Arabia reveals official numbers
