The government will receive applications for next year's Haj
starting from January 15 until January 24, Minister for Religious
Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said while
announcing the Haj policy for 2018 in Islamabad on Wednesday.
The
Haj package for 2018 will cost Rs280,000 for northern region and
Rs270,000 for southern region, the minister said, adding that Pakistan's
last year's quota of 179,210 and the cost from last year's package have
been maintained. An additional Rs13,050 will have to be submitted for
animal sacrifice, he said.
The government has also
decided to increase its quota to 120,000 while private tour operators
will manage the rest of the pilgrims.
The new policy,
which has already been approved by the federal cabinet, says the
ministry is in talks with all stakeholders to reduce the duration of Haj
from 38 days to 30 in order to facilitate Hajis.
A
special quota of 10,000 people would be reserved for applicants over 80
years of age and one attendant to accompany them, while draws for
successful applicants will be held on January 26.
Applicants
whose names have failed to appear in draws for at least three years
will have an added chance of making it to Haj next year as another
10,000 places have been reserved for them.
According to
the policy released today, anyone who has performed Haj on government
scheme even once will not be allowed to submit an application via the
government scheme this year while those who have performed the ritual
within the last three years will not even be allowed to go on private
quota.
Shia women over 45 years of age would be allowed to perform Haj without a mehram (a close male family member) while all other women must be accompanied by a mehram.
All applicants will have to have a national identity card (CNIC), medical certificate and a passport valid until February 2019.
