The Saudi government has announced that people going for Hajj from Pakistan will now have to pay for Aab-e-Zam Zam when they bring it back to their country.

People returning from Hajj will be given a five-litre bottle upon their arrival in Pakistan and will be charged Saudi Arabian Riyal 15 for the bottle. However, the value being charged is for the plastic bottle and not the water it is carrying.

The new rule means that Hajj will become a little more expensive for every pilgrim. This year Rs200 million will have to be paid to the Saudi government under this head alone and the payment will be made in dollars.

Each pilgrim will have to pay Rs1,114 in addition to the Hajj fees they are already paying.

A total of 179,000 people from Pakistan will perform Hajj this year. They will be provided a total of 896,000 litres of Aab-e-Zam Zam.

Sources in the ministry of religious affairs said that until recently, people returning from Hajj could bring in as much Aab-e-Zam Zam as they wanted with no price to pay and no limit.

However, the water was often carried home in substandard containers which created problems during travel, which prompted Saudi authorities to take this step.

In January, Saudi authorities announced that people other than pilgrims, including those on any sort of visit or business visa, would not be allowed to take home any Aab-e-Zam Zam.

The water comes from the well of Zam Zam near the Holy Kaaba in Makkah and is an important souvenir for people returning from Hajj. Pilgrims often distribute the water among friends and family with the belief that it carries the blessings from the holiest site for Muslims.