ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s caretaker religion minister, Aneeq Ahmed, has said that Pakistani pilgrims will go to next year’s Hajj “like the previous years” and his government was not considering any land or sea routes for a cheaper pilgrimage.
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be undertaken by all Muslims with means at least once in their lifetime. The pilgrimage includes a series of rites completed over four days in Makkah and its surroundings in the west of Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan has already received its quota of 179,210 pilgrims for next year’s Hajj, while there had been reports that the South Asian country was looking at possible land and sea routes for the annual pilgrimage to reduce the expenses for pilgrims, given the devaluation of the local currency and high inflation at home.
In an interview with Arab News on Monday, the religion minister denied reports that Pakistan was exploring cost-effective travel by land and sea.
“Not at all. We will go like previous years,” Ahmed told Arab News. “Air route is the only one route and there is no other option.”
The minister said his government was in initial stages of formulating a new Hajj policy and planned to invite early applications for the next year’s pilgrimage soon.
Asked about a reported proposal for the payment of dues by intended pilgrims in installments, Ahmed said it was not part of the government’s plans.
Saudi Arabia this year scrapped the upper age limit of 65 in January. More than 81,000 Pakistani pilgrims performed the pilgrimage under the government scheme this year, while the rest were facilitated by private tour operators.
Pakistan has also formed a reforms committee to review complaints against private Hajj operators. The development came after Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar presided over a meeting on advance preparations for Hajj 2024 on Monday.
Last week, Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry had also asked private Hajj operators to provide suggestions to improve operations and implement new Saudi instructions regarding a reduction in the number of pilgrims for each company.
