Latest news with #PrivateHajjScheme
Business Recorder
15-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Private Hajj Scheme: JI urges PM to contact MBS
LAHORE: Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman has appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to personally contact Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to resolve the ongoing crisis related to Pakistan's Private Hajj Scheme. In a formal letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Rehman warned that due to administrative delays and logistical failures, nearly 67,000 Pakistanis may be deprived of performing Hajj this year, despite having paid significant sums to private tour operators. The JI chief emphasized the urgency of the matter, suggesting that direct communication between PM Shehbaz Sharif and the Saudi Crown Prince could lead to a swift resolution. He proposed that the government immediately dispatch a high-level delegation to Saudi Arabia to coordinate with Saudi authorities and ensure the necessary arrangements are made. Referring to reports that Nigeria was recently granted an additional 40,000 Hajj slots, Rehman expressed optimism that a similar diplomatic effort could help accommodate Pakistani pilgrims. He also cited claims by tour operators that Pakistan's Hajj quota has not been fully exhausted and that space is still available in Mina and Arafat. Rehman also urged the government to secure the funds already remitted to Saudi Arabia by private Hajj operators, and ensure full refunds for pilgrims in case they are unable to fulfill their religious obligation. He demanded an independent inquiry into the crisis, holding both government officials and private Hajj organizers accountable for administrative negligence. He warned that if the situation persists, a major financial crisis could hit the private Hajj sector, with potential losses exceeding Rs. 100 billion. He noted that funds for 2023 and 2024 Hajj seasons are still pending recovery, making this year's crisis even more damaging for both operators and pilgrims. Blaming a combination of delayed policymaking in Islamabad, inefficiency of private Hajj tour operators, and the implementation of a new Saudi digital system, he stressed the need for immediate and high-level intervention to prevent irreparable damage to Pakistani pilgrims. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PM urged to intervene in Hajj quota case
In November last year, the government announced that 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims would perform Hajj in 2025. Under the Hajj Policy, the Hajj quota was divided with a ratio of 50:50 between the government and private Hajj schemes with 89,605 seats reserved for each. However, in a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Religious Affairs spokesperson, Umar Batt, announced that only 23,620 pilgrims from Pakistan will be able to perform Hajj in 2025 under the Private Hajj Scheme Prior to the announcement, the ministry's secretary informed the Senate committee that around 67,000 people enrolled under private scheme seemed unlikely to be able to perform Hajj this year. At a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs, both the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the president of the private Hajj operator's association gave detailed briefings. The association's president, Sanaullah, told the committee that the federal cabinet approved the Hajj Policy 2025 after a delay of over two months due to which private Hajj tour operators could not submit their applications on time. He said the funds of 67,000 pilgrims — 680 million riyals — had already been transferred to Saudi Arabia, and due to the limited time remaining, further arrangements were not possible. He demanded that a high-level committee be sent to Saudi Arabia, urging that the prime minister intervene in the matter. The Senate committee unanimously decided to write a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requesting a meeting so that he may speak with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
