ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet, while approving the Haj Policy 2025, has directed the Ministry of Religious Affairs to prioritise individuals who will be performing Haj for the first time and were unsuccessful in last year’s balloting.
The cabinet, which met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair, was informed that Pakistan’s Haj quota for the upcoming pilgrimage will be 179,210, equally divided between the government’s regular and private schemes.
The government, reversing its previous decision to approve the Haj Policy 2025 via circulation among cabinet members, directed that the policy be presented at the cabinet meeting. As per the Saudi government policy, children under 12 years of age will not be allowed to travel for the upcoming Haj. Computerised balloting will be conducted for the government quota.
The meeting was informed that 1,000 seats have been reserved for hardship cases, and 300 seats will be allocated for workers or low-income employees registered with the Workers Welfare Fund or the Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution.
It was noted that the ‘Road to Makkah’ facility will be available at Islamabad and Karachi airports. Haj group organisers will sign service provider agreements with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and their service delivery will be closely monitored.
The cabinet was informed that a new position of ‘Nazim’ has been introduced to oversee better facilities for pilgrims. One Nazim will be appointed for every 100 pilgrims, selected from the welfare staff.
The meeting was further apprised that compensation for deceased and injured pilgrims during Haj has been increased. Families of deceased pilgrims will receive compensation between rupees one million and two million, while injured pilgrims will be given rupees one million. A special Haj management application has been developed for the convenience of pilgrims, and special arrangements have been made for their training.
The cabinet also approved the appointment of Saeed Iqbal, Moazzam Ahmed, Madiha Khalid, Usman Haider and Muhammad Sajjad Farouqui as private members of the Public Private Partnership Authority board.
On the finance ministry’s recommendation, the cabinet gave post facto approval to the agreement on transferring the Foreign Commercial Financing Facility from the London Interbank Offered Rate to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate.
The meeting approved the Jammu and Kashmir Estate Property Budget for fiscal year 2024-25, along with endorsing an agreement between the Directorate General of Ports and Shipping, Karachi, and Bahria Classification Society for certification of classification.
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