ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry has invited “practical suggestions” from stakeholders before the issuance of a policy for Hajj 2025, it said on Monday.
The statement came during a meeting of officials of the religious affairs ministry to review Pakistan’s arrangements for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.
The participants observed the official Hajj scheme offered “excellent” accommodation, intercity transport, food and services to pilgrims, according to the religious affairs ministry.
“In light of the last Hajj, practical suggestions should be prepared and submitted to the Hajj department for further improvement in the government scheme,” Religious Affairs Secretary Zulfiqar Haider was quoted as saying by the ministry.
Pakistan successfully concluded its post-Hajj 2024 operations on July 21. The annual Islamic pilgrimage was held from June 14 till June 19, with millions of pilgrims from all parts of the world performing the rituals.
Out of Pakistan’s total quota of 179,210 pilgrims, around 160,000 from the country performed Hajj this year through both the government scheme and private tour operators, according to the religious affairs ministry.
Pakistan’s national airline also announced in a statement it had concluded its post-Hajj operations on July 21.
“A total of 143 flights were operated in the post-Hajj operations out of which 61 went to Jeddah and 82 to Madinah,” the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said in a statement. “A total of 34,663 pilgrims returned to their homes after performing the rituals.”
Of these, 19,278 had performed Hajj under the government scheme and 14,754 through private tour operators, the airline added.
Pakistan religion ministry invites ‘practical suggestions’ from stakeholders before issuing Hajj 2025 policy
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Pakistan religion ministry invites ‘practical suggestions’ from stakeholders before issuing Hajj 2025 policy
- Pakistan successfully concluded its post-Hajj 2024 operations on July 21, with nearly 160,000 Pakistanis performing the pilgrimage
- Officials say the government Hajj scheme offered ‘excellent’ accommodation, transport, food and services to pilgrims this year
EU criticizes Pakistan over jailing of rights lawyers, flags free speech concerns
- EU says the convictions of Imaan Mazari-Hazir, Hadi Ali Chattha violate freedom of expression
- Both lawyers were arrested last week over social media posts under Pakistan’s cybercrime laws
KARACHI: The European Union on Thursday criticized Pakistan over the conviction of two human rights lawyers for their social media activity, saying the ruling ran counter to freedom of expression and the independence of the legal profession, core democratic principles that Islamabad is committed to uphold under international law.
Imaan Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha were arrested last Friday as they were on their way to a court appearance and were later remanded to two weeks in judicial custody.
Authorities accused them of violating the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) over posts on X that they said incited ethnic divisions and portrayed the military as being involved in “terrorism.” Both deny the allegations.
“The conviction of human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha over social media activity goes against freedom of expression and independence of lawyers,” Anouar El Anouni, the EU’s spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy, said in a post on X. “These are not only key democratic principles but also part of Pakistan’s international human rights commitments.”
Pakistan is one of the largest beneficiaries of the EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), which grants duty-free access to most European markets in return for implementing 27 international conventions covering human rights, labor standards, environmental protection and good governance.
Pakistan’s GSP+ status came under scrutiny in the past after, in April 2021, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for an immediate review, citing concerns over violence against religious minorities, curbs on media freedom and broader human rights issues.
Earlier this week, lawyers in Pakistan’s capital went on strike and announced plans to stage a protest against the court ruling, which handed Mazari-Hazir and Chattha a cumulative 17-year sentence.
The Pakistani government has not yet responded to the EU statement.
