ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top economic body has approved the Hajj Policy for the year 2023, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed on Monday, saying the government has resolved to provide “maximum facilitation” to pilgrims.

The Hajj is an obligatory religious ritual for adult Muslims with physical and financial means, requiring them to visit the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah at least once in their lifetime. Muslims from all over the world undertake the journey to perform pilgrimage rites in Dhu Al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

Dar met Pakistan’s religious affairs minister, Mufti Abdul Shakoor, on Monday to discuss the Hajj Policy 2023. During the meeting, the two “expressed resolve to provide max facilitation to Hujjaj [pilgrims] in order to make Hajj event blessed and peaceful,” the finance ministry said.

“Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet approved today the Hajj Policy for 2023,” the minister wrote on Twitter.

“The draft Hajj policy 2023 has been approved by the ECC today and it will be presented before the federal cabinet in its meeting tomorrow (Tuesday),” Muhammad Umer Butt, spokesperson of the religious affairs ministry, told Arab News.

“After its approval from the cabinet, we will officially announce the Hajj Policy most probably tomorrow (Tuesday),” he added.

In a statement shared later, the finance ministry said the ECC had agreed to provide a foreign exchange cover of $90 million. It added that the 179, 210 pilgrims quote would be distributed between government and private Hajj schemes in the 50:50 ratio.

“Out of the Government and Private Hajj Schemes, a quota of 50 percent each shall be reserved for sponsorship scheme,” the finance ministry said. “For the year 2023, tentative Hajj Package for Northern region is PKR 1,175,000/- and for the South Region is PKR 1,165,000/.”

Earlier, Saudi Arabia announced it had restored Pakistan’s pre-pandemic Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims and removed the upper age limit of 65.

According to officials of the religion ministry, the government expects to start receiving pilgrims’ Hajj applications from March 13.