মোঃ আজহারুল ইসলাম
সহকারী অধ্যাপক
২৮ জুলাই, ২০২৩ ১১:৩৭ অপরাহ্ণ
Pakistan to return Rs 97,000 to each hajj pilgrim
Pakistan
to return Rs 97,000 to each hajj pilgrim
Pakistan's
Religious Affairs Ministry would return a cumulative sum Rs 12 billion to tens
of thousands of Pakistani pilgrims, who performed Hajj this year through the
government sponsored scheme.
It was announced the country's Religious Affairs
Minister Senator Muhammad Talha Mehmood on Thursday, reports the Express
Tribune of Pakistan.
Addressing
a press conference on the government's Hajj arrangements in Saudi Arabia, the
minister said due to effective cost-saving measures, the pilgrims were set to
receive a partial refund in their Hajj expenses in their respective bank
accounts next week.
The press conference came a week before the
culmination of the government Hajj operation, which ends on next Wednesday with
the arrival of the last return Hajj flight. This year, more than 1,60,000
Pakistanis performed Hajj, he said, adding Pakistan got the quota of 1,79,210
pilgrims for next year.
The minister said each pilgrim would get the
refund of Rs97,000. He added that 22,600 pilgrims could not get a place in Mina
or avail the train facility. "They will be refunded an additional amount
of Rs 21,000 per person," he said.
"Similarly, 18,000 pilgrims, residing
outside Markazia in Madina will be refunded an additional amount of Rs14,000
per person," the minister continued.
"This is the pilgrims' own money which is
being returned to them," he disclosed.
"Those who faced difficulties in securing
accommodations in Madina would be refunded Rs111,000, those who could not use
the Mashair Train to be reimbursed Rs118,000, and the pilgrims who had to stay
far from the central locations in Madina will receive Rs132,000 as
compensation," he said.
Explaining the reasons, the minister said that
many buildings in Markazia had been demolished by the Saudi government, which
including the two buildings of the Pakistan House. Because of that "we had
to get residential buildings away" from Markazia, he added.
However, the minister stressed that 78% of the
pilgrims were accommodated in close proximity to the holy sites in Madina, 63%
of the pilgrims were provided with the convenience of the Mashair Train to
travel to Mina, while 47% enjoyed their stay in old Mina.
"This year, the amount of Hajj package was
Rs 1.165 million for the southern region and Rs 1.175 million for the northern
region. "We already have refunded Rs 55,000 per person [Rs 4.5 billion] to
the government scheme pilgrims. We will return every penny to the
pilgrims."
He reiterated the government's commitment to the
welfare of the pilgrims. He said that a total of approximately Rs 16.5 billion
was being allocated for reimbursements to the pilgrims under the government's
Hajj package.
The minister said that the government wanted the
next year's Hajj cost less and that the pilgrims faced no hardship. The Hajj
expenditure increased because pf the increase in the value of the dollar
against the rupee. Despite this, we have made the cheapest Hajj by making great
efforts."
In response to a question, Mahmood said that he
was deeply disappointed with the private Hajj operators, who took Rs 2.5
million from each pilgrim but did not provide them the promised services in the
holy land. "We have decided to immediately hear the complaints."