Federal Minister for Spiritual Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain on Tuesday introduced a discount in Hajj bundle prices, offering monetary aid to aspiring pilgrims.
Addressing the media, flanked by Further Secretary Syed Atta-ur-Rehman, on the Ministry of Spiritual Affairs and Interfaith Concord, he knowledgeable that the price of the 40-day lengthy Hajj bundle has been lowered by Rs25,000, bringing the entire to Rs.1,050,000.
Pilgrims choosing this bundle might want to pay a 3rd instalment of Rs450,000.
Equally, Salik mentioned the 25-day quick Hajj bundle has been additional lowered by Rs50,000, setting the brand new value at Rs1,100,000.
The third instalment for this bundle will likely be Rs500,000.
He mentioned all pilgrims are required to submit their third instalment on the designated banks between February 6 to 14.
The nation has launched a brief Hajj programme of 20 to 25 days to make the journey extra accessible, simpler, and comfy which might allow pilgrims to decide on their lodging in Madinah for 4 to eight days.
The non secular ministry has additionally ensured that each pilgrim will obtain a notification relating to their fee standing by means of the “Pak Hajj” cellular software, he added.
In one other main growth, the minister introduced the refund of over Rs4.75 billion to the pilgrims who carried out Hajj in 2024. He mentioned the refunds have been categorised into seven completely different teams, based mostly on elements comparable to lodging in Mina, lodging in Makkah, and Maktab C allocation.
Moreover, financial savings from Qurbani refunds and airfare reductions are additionally being handed on to the pilgrims.
Highlighting the statistics of the refund course of, Salik mentioned 14% of the pilgrims (9,588 people) will obtain Rs20,000, 5% (3,358 people) will obtain Rs35,000, 19% (12,981 people) will obtain Rs50,000, 23% (16,037 people) will obtain Rs75,000, 26% (17,828 people) will obtain Rs90,000, 10% (6,784 people) will obtain Rs110,000, and three% (2,228 people) will obtain Rs140,000.
The refunds will likely be transferred by means of the designated financial institution branches.
Salik confirmed that the switch of funds to nominated banks will start throughout the subsequent two days, guaranteeing well timed monetary aid for the pilgrims.
Final month, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the annual Hajj settlement 2025 beneath which as many as 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims would carry out the Hajj this yr and will likely be supplied particular lodging in Mina at lowered charges.
The Hajj, one of many world’s largest non secular gatherings, entails a sequence of rituals in Makkah and its environment in western Saudi Arabia that take a number of days to finish.
One of many 5 pillars of Islam, it should be carried out at the least as soon as by all Muslims who’ve the means to take action.
Hajj, one of many basic pillars of Islam, is carried out annually by tens of millions of Muslims worldwide. Pakistan receives one of many highest Hajj quotas from Saudi Arabia.