ISLAMABAD: A spokesman for Pakistan’s religion ministry said on Thursday it had reissued instructions that all pending dues be reimbursed to Hajj applicants, saying they should withdraw their dues from banks “as soon as possible.”
Last month, the Pakistan government said it would refund all those who had paid dues to perform the Hajj pilgrimage under a government scheme, following Saudi Arabia’s decision to limit the annual pilgrimage this year due to the coronavirus outbreak.
A total of 180,000 Pakistanis were scheduled to perform the Hajj this year, over 107,500 under a government program.
“All nominated banks have been instructed to complete the refund process by July 28,” a spokesman for the religious affairs ministry said in a statement.
He said the ministry had not issued any instructions that the dues be kept in banks or new bank accounts be opened.
“All nominated banks are obliged to pay all dues without deduction,” the statement said. “The ministry is in constant touch with the banks for easy refund of money to all Hajj applicants. In case of any difficulty or concern, users should contact the Religious Affairs complaints number.”
Pakistan’s religion ministry orders banks to refund all Hajj applicants by July 28
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Pakistan’s religion ministry orders banks to refund all Hajj applicants by July 28
- A total of 180,000 Pakistanis were scheduled to perform the Hajj this year
- Saudi authorities announced this year’s Hajj will be limited to 10,000 people residing inside the Kingdom
Uzbekistan president to arrive in Pakistan today to strengthen trade, energy cooperation
- Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to lead high-level delegation of ministers, business leaders on Feb. 5-6 visit, says Pakistan foreign office
- Visit takes place days after Pakistan, Uzbekistan reaffirmed $2 billion trade target during intergovernmental commission meeting
ISLAMABAD: Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will arrive in Pakistan today, Thursday, with a high-level delegation to identify new avenues for bilateral cooperation in trade, defense, energy and other avenues, Pakistan's foreign ministry said.
The visit takes place after the 10th session of the Pakistan–Uzbekistan Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on Trade, Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation in Islamabad on Feb. 2. Both sides reaffirmed their $2 billion trade target and areed to push for regional connectivity, develop trade routes and accelerate cooperation in several sectors.
Mirziyoyev will lead a high-level delegation comprising senior ministers and business leaders on a two-day state visit, Pakistan's foreign ministry said.
"Discussions will focus on reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral relations and identifying new avenues to further deepen cooperation in diverse sectors including trade, energy, defense, education, people-to-people exchange and regional connectivity," the statement said.
The Uzbek leader's visit takes place two days after Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Islamabad to hold talks on trade, business and connectivity.
Pakistan and Kazakhstan signed 37 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and set a target of raising bilateral trade to $1 billion within a year during Tokayev's visit.
Pakistan and Uzbekistan have steadily increased economic ties in recent years as Islamabad seeks greater access to landlocked Central Asian markets, aiming to position itself as a regional transit and trade hub linking South Asia with Central Asia.
Pakistan was the first Central Asian partner with which Uzbekistan signed a bilateral Transit Trade Agreement, along with a Preferential Trade Agreement in March 2022, covering 17 items, which became operational in 2023.
Pakistan's finance ministry said last month that Azerbaijan's state energy company SOCAR was set to finalize an investment in the country’s oil and gas sector following high-level engagements at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
