KARACHI: Pakistan has started reimbursing to 117,000 pilgrims approximately $31.8 million in Hajj funds saved by the government on account of transportation and accommodation facilities in Makkah and Madinah, the Ministry of Religious Affairs said on Saturday.
“For the first time the government has started reimbursing money to Hajj pilgrims to the tune of Rs5 billion,” Imran Siddique, a spokesman for the Ministry of Religious Affairs, told Arab News. “The pilgrims will be returned a minimum of Rs26,000 and a maximum Rs67,000 back this year.”
Around 200,000 Pakistanis will perform Hajj this year, of which 120,000 are utiizing a government scheme and 80,000 are using private travel operators.
Under the government scheme the pilgrims are provided accommodation and transportation facilities in Makkah and Madinah.
Explaining how the government had saved on Hajj accommodations and transportation, Siddique said: “50,000 Pakistanis would travel through train service while the rest (67,000) of the pilgrims would not be able to avail this services due to the ticket quota allocation to the country, as only 300,000 people can travel via train.”
“The train fare is 500 Saudi riyal. Those who could not avail the train services will get the money back, which is approximately PKR 22,000,” Siddique added. “This is how the money on account of transportation is saved and would be refunded.”
Similarly, he continued, 96,000 Hajj pilgrims would be provided with accommodation in Markazia, a central area very close to Masjid-e-Nabawi, in Madinah while 21,000 would be provided accommodation away from the central area.
Around 500 Saudi riyal per night would be saved by those who stayed away from the center and this money would be reimbursed, Siddique said.
He said the process of reimbursing pilgrims had already started on Thursday.
“Last year we had deposited Rs283,000 with our application” housewife Naziran Bibi, who will go for Hajj next week with her mother and brother, told Arab News. “This year we have submitted Rs427,900 but we have not yet been refunded.”
Siddique said all banks had been directed to set up booths in Hajji Camps to refund the money to pilgrims: “Those who have not received it yet will get their money back before their scheduled flights,” he said.
$31.8mln saved in Hajj arrangements being reimbursed to pilgrims: Religion Ministry
$31.8mln saved in Hajj arrangements being reimbursed to pilgrims: Religion Ministry
- Savings are the result of the government arranging ‘smart’ accommodation and transport facilities in Makkah and Madinah
- Around 200,000 Pakistanis will perform Hajj this year, of which 120,000 are utilizing a government scheme
Chinese giant Hoymiles enters Pakistani market to provide high-tech energy storage solutions
- The development comes after Pakistan emerges as one of world’s fastest-growing solar markets, importing nearly 50GW of solar panels
- Hoymiles entry will address long-hour backup and energy storage challenges facing Pakistan’s growing solar sector, local partner says
KARACHI: Renowned Chinese inverter manufacturer Hoymiles has entered Pakistan to provide high-tech, long-duration energy storage solutions for residential, commercial and industrial buildings by utilizing solar systems for electricity consumption, its Pakistani partner said on Monday.
Over the past few years, a large number of Pakistani industrial, commercial and residential electricity consumers have shifted to solar power systems to address frequent power outages and the rising cost of electricity. Reports indicate that net-metering capacity currently stands at 6,000 megawatts (MWs), while off-grid solar capacity has increased to 12,000 MWs in Pakistan by the end of 2025.
Hoymiles has formed strategic partnerships with Superstar, a renowned name in Pakistan’s automotive industry, and Harisun Energy, a new entrant in the energy solutions sector, to explore the Pakistani market, which is witnessing rapid growth in solar power adoption. In this regard, launch events were held simultaneously in Karachi and Lahore, unveiling multiple storage solutions produced by Hoymiles under the brands of Harisun Energy and Superstar.
Speaking as the chief guest at the Hoymiles launching ceremony in Karachi, Ali Rashid, advisor to Sindh chief minister on science and information technology (IT), said the provincial government appreciates foreign investors, particularly Chinese companies, establishing their industries, assembly, and distribution units in Karachi to meet the demand of the local market as well as export solutions to other countries.
“The government is working rigorously to facilitate foreign investors and companies to enhance their business and commercial activities, mainly in the technology and renewable energy sectors, to improve the living standards of the public and boost economic activity within the country and the province of Sindh,” he said.
The Sindh government is currently collaborating with various Chinese companies across different sectors, including logistics and renewable energy, and it welcomes further cooperation between the private and public sectors, according to Rashid.
The provincial government is considering establishing its own regulatory authority and transmission company, aimed at setting up a separate electricity grid system at the provincial level, which could provide affordable electricity to the masses and enhance connectivity to remote areas, preferably through renewable energy resources.
According to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), Pakistan has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing solar markets, importing approximately 50 GW of solar panels amid falling prices and widespread adoption across sectors in the first half of the year. This surge has made Pakistan the third-largest market for Chinese solar panels, a growth that has attracted global attention.
Superstar Solar Energy and Harisun Energy are introducing Hoymiles’ innovative range of solar inverters, energy storage solutions, and smart energy management systems to the Pakistani market. These solutions are designed to deliver reliable, efficient, and sustainable energy, empowering individuals and businesses to harness solar power as a clean and green energy source.
“Pakistan’s growing solar sector is facing a major challenge related to long-hour backup and energy storage solutions, which will soon be addressed with the entry of a global leader in energy solutions,” said Haris Jamsheed, CEO of Harisun Energy.
“Our partnership with the Chinese company will provide innovative energy storage solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial solar systems, enabling uninterrupted electricity supply at workplaces, factories, and homes during nighttime hours.”
Solarization has continued to expand across the country on a large scale due to prolonged load-shedding in remote areas and the high cost of electricity, which has become unaffordable for many households and industrial units, particularly in recent years.
“We have vowed to bring an energy revolution to Pakistan through innovative storage solutions, as the industrial and commercial sectors can enhance productivity with low-cost electricity backup systems,” said Saleem Umar, Chairman of Superstar.
“Affordable electricity will reduce operational costs at the domestic level, enabling exporters to compete more effectively in global markets.”
