Minister of Religious Affairs Mufti Abdul Shakoor will announce the details of the new Hajj packages after a cabinet meeting today, a day after the minister successfully negotiated a lower price per pilgrim with the Saudi Government.

The Ministry of Religious and Interfaith Harmony had announced that 31,253 pilgrims will perform Hajj through the government scheme this year.

The government received 63,604 applications for the Hajj scheme, while Saudi Arabia had given a quota of 81,132 people to Pakistan, which included 40 per cent government pilgrims and 60 per cent private pilgrims Radio Pakistan.

The ballot was held on May 15 under Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Mufti Asad Mahmood while Shakoor and Additional Secretary Aftab Akbar Durrani visited Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah had not provided the details of mandatory Hajj expenses till the balloting of Hajj applicants on Sunday. However, they had told Pakistan to complete all other formalities by May 16.

The cost of Hajj could only be announced after the Saudi Ministry gave details for mandatory expenses.

After the announcement of the packages, candidates whose names were drawn on Sunday can go to designated banks to submit the fees.

People who did not get the chance to perform a Hajj this year can get their token money (Rs 50,000) refunded without the religious ministry being involved.

This year, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has made it necessary to carry a smartphone during Hajj to download two mandatory mobile phone applications, Tawakkalna and Eatmarna.