- Mufti Abdul Shakoor would meet important figures
- Minister is on an official visit to Jeddah.
- Minister would announce final Hajj Policy 2023
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor on Monday discussed provision of better travel facilities to the pilgrims in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah.
The minister who is recently on an official visit to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to attend the four-day Hajj Expo 2023 – a major exhibition and conference – met Osama Samkari, chairman of a bus transport company Nicaba Sayarat, the ministry’s spokesman Muhammad Umar Butt told APP.
He informed that Mufti Abdul Shakoor would meet with several important figures including the Saudi counterpart and visit various institutions.
He said the participants briefed on modern Hajj arrangements and facilities in the light of Saudi Vision 2030 in the conference.
He said this year, it would be mandatory for Hajj applicants to have a bank account in Pakistan and a machine readable passport which should not be expired before December 26, for Hajj 2023.
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Umar Butt said Hajj applications would likely to be called by the end of February and religious affairs minister would announce the final Hajj Policy 2023 after the cabinet’s approval.
Saudi Arabia has allocated a quota of nearly 180,000 pilgrims to Pakistan to perform the annual Hajj in 2023.
Government of Pakistan signed a bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2023 under which 179,210 Pakistani citizens will be able to perform the annual ritual.
Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor and signed the agreement. Secretary Aftab Akbar Durrani, Joint Secretary Hajj Aftab Khan Marwat, and DG Hajj Sajid Manzoor Asadi were also present.
Saudi Arabia has revived Pakistan’s pre-pandemic Hajj quota besides removing the upper age limit of 65 years. According to the agreement, 50 percent of pilgrims would arrive at Madinah Airport, while the renaming will arrive at Jeddah Airport.
