LAHORE: Hajj Policy for 2018 was approved by the government on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference, Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said that the government will start accepting applications for Government Hajj Scheme from January 15 to 25, 2018 and the balloting to choose the pilgrims will be held on January 26, 2018.
He also said that the hajj dues were not increased under the new hajj policy and the quota for pilgrims in 2018 would be 120,000. About 59,210 pilgrims will perform the pilgrimage through Private Hajj Scheme. Government has also allotted a quota of 10,000 for those above the age of 80.
Those from the north will pay Rs 280,000 and those from the south will pay Rs 270,000 for the pilgrimage with an additional Rs 13,050 for sacrifice.
He further said that the government revised the hajj policy because of Supreme Court’s (SC) verdict and that people had started trusting the hajj scheme again. In case of any discrepancies, the government would be responsible, he added.
Highlighting the hajj schemes of the last four years, he said that this was the fifth consecutive hajj policy announcement in the past five years.
