Hajj 2024: Pakistan pilgrims to pay in US dollar, announce short and long duration packages

The Pakistan Ministry of Religious Affairs has announced the launch of a short-term Hajj for Pakistani pilgrims, starting next year.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Aneeq Ahmed said the new package would be 18-20 days long, adding that pilgrims will be allowed to select this or long stay package.

The minister revealed the plan in a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs. The meeting was chaired by Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Hyderi, who suggested that the duration of short Hajj should be 18 to 30 days.

Normally, the package, which is offered to pilgrims, is 35 to 50 days long and it includes accommodation, transportation, and food.

The announcement for the short-term Hajj comes as the rupee devaluation had increased the Hajj cost this year. It is the reason the applications received for Hajj 2023 were below the quota allocated by Saudi Arabia.

Earlier in July, then Minister for Religious Affairs Talha Mehmood announced that all the intending pilgrims who will go for Hajj in 2024 will have to pay their expenses in US dollars instead of Pakistani rupee though no development has been made in this regard by the religious affairs ministry.

SOURCE: mmnews