143,000 Pakistani pilgrims to perform Hajj this year

ISLAMABAD: The religious affairs ministry has prepared draft of the Hajj Policy 2016 and sent it to the federal Cabinet for approval.

Sources said that this year 143,000 Pakistani pilgrims will perform Hajj.

The government has reduced quota of private tour operators by 10 percent. It is expected that 60 percent pilgrims will perform Hajj on subsidized government packages while 40 percent people will perform Hajj through private schemes.

Prices for government Hajj packages have not been increased this year. The prices are fixed at Rs 255,000 for pilgrims from southern Pakistan and Rs265,000 for pilgrims from northern Pakistan.

The ministry has differences over the issue of hardship quota, some members want to abolish it while others want to stick to it.

Proposals to buy new buses for travel to Mecca from Jeddah and installation of air coolers at Arafat seek approval of the Prime Minister.