ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s caretaker religion minister, Aneeq Ahmed, has said the country may hire the services of private airlines to facilitate pilgrims for next year’s Hajj, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday. 

The statement came days after the management of Pakistan’s national air carrier confirmed its decision to ground much of its fleet amid a major financial crisis. 

The state-owned enterprise is said to be on the verge of default as the government refused to provide Rs 23 billion ($76 million) in support of operational expenses, requested by airline officials. 

But Ahmed told private Hajj organizers in Karachi the government was making all-out efforts to facilitate Pakistani pilgrims, the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported. 

“All facilities including accommodations, transportation and catering in reasonable expenditure will be ensured for Pakistani Hujjaj,” the minister was quoted as saying 

“If reasonable transport rates are offered, the services of private airlines could also be hired in this regard to facilitate pilgrims.” 

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. 

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 already received its quota of 179,210 pilgrims for next year’s Hajj. 

Ahmed this week 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. 

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.