Prime
Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi today chaired a meeting on Hajj policy at Prime
Minister’s office.
Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, Minister for
Religious Affairs, Secretary Religious Affairs division, Pakistan Ambassador to
Saudi Arabia and senior officials were present during the meeting.
The Prime Minister was given a
detailed briefing on Hajj operations and efforts being made by the Ministry to
improve the system. It was informed that the present government, during its
tenure, has accorded special attention towards better facilitation of the
Hujjaj performing their religious duty. The confidence of the people over the
fairness and transparency of the system is clearly reflected through the number
of 338,696 applications received in 2017 as compared to 86,919 applications in
2013.
The Prime Minister expressed
satisfaction over the overall improvements made during the last four years in
providing quality and affordable accommodation, better catering and transport
facilities to the Hujjaj.
The Prime Minister directed the
Ministry to immediately convene the Policy Formulation Committee constituted
under the direction of the Supreme Court of Pakistan for early finalization of
policy options for Hajj 2018 and its approval from the Cabinet after which the
process of inviting applications should be started as soon as possible so as to
complete the balloting process in-time and ensure timely arrangements and
training of the Hujjaj.
The Prime Minister also directed that
special considerations should be given to the applicants over the age of 75
years and to those who apply for three consecutive years but are not selected
through the balloting process. Matters
pertaining to the security of Zaireen visiting Iran Iraq were also came under
discussion during the meeting.
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