ISLAMABAD: Estimated Hajj expenses per pilgrim would be between Rs1.1 million to Rs1.2 million depending on the current exchange rate, sources in the religious ministry told the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

The applications for Government Hajj Scheme were likely to start from March 13, they told the state-run news agency. Applications would be collected in designated Pakistani banks as per ex-post.

The designated expenditure was revealed after a meeting between Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday. They discussed Hajj Policy 2023, Hajj Sponsorship Scheme, payment of funds to Saudi Arabia and reforms related to erstwhile federally administered tribal areas.

Last month, APP reported that the religious ministry has decided to allocate a 25 per cent special quota in the government’s Hajj Scheme for the pilgrims who will deposit their dues in dollars. The ministry also decided that the intending pilgrims, paying fee in dollars, would be exempted from the balloting under the new Hajj policy.

Finance Minister Dar hinted at arranging a foreign exchange for Hajj despite the difficult economic situation in the country, sources said.

He assured all possible support to the religious ministry for Hajj arrangements, adding that the government would take all possible measures for the ease of intending pilgrims.

The Hajj sponsorship scheme was only for overseas Pakistanis or their relatives, sources said. Pakistanis remitting foreign exchange from abroad to the designated accounts would be able to benefit from the scheme, they added.

It is expected that about 22,400 pilgrims would benefit from the ‘Sponsorship Scheme’ being introduced by the ministry in the wake of the prevailing foreign exchange crisis in the country. The Hajj expenses could also be submitted through foreign remittances in dollars.

It was decided in principle to fix the quota of Hajj sponsorship scheme at 50 per cent while the other 50% quota for public and private Hajj schemes, they added.

The religious affairs minister would announce receipt of Hajj applications after approval from the federal cabinet next week.

PIA Hajj operation

The flight operation for Hajj 2023 is scheduled to start on May 21, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced its decision on Saturday. It would continue till August 2.

“About 44,000 pilgrims would travel to Hijaz-e-Muqaddas through Saudi Airlines; 38,000 pilgrims would travel from the PIA; and the rest would be travelling by two private airlines operating in Pakistan,” the national flag carrier said in a statement.

The PIA would use Boeing 777 and Airbus 320 for its Hajj flight operations to Jeddah and Medina.

The national flag carrier further announced that the fare for pilgrims going for private Hajj may be fixed from $870 to $1,180. This fare, it added, would be applicable for pilgrims from the Southern region of Pakistan which includes Karachi, Quetta, Sukkur, and Hyderabad.

Meanwhile, the fare for pilgrims would be from $910 to $1, 220 from the Northern region of the country, which includes Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Multan, and other cities.

However, fixing the final fare and its subsequent approval would be decided by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony under the Government Hajj Scheme.