After receiving an unexpectedly low response to Hajj applications this year, the government has introduced a new incentive.
The government has only received 10,000 applications so far.
The government has declared that for 44,802 applicants will have their Hajj applications accepted without a balloting process if they pay their fees in dollars instead of rupees.
This number amounts to half of the 89,605 people who will be able to perform Hajj on the government quota this year.
The Hajj fees in dollars can be deposited in 13 banks, and the government hopes to raise $194 million through this strategy. However, dollars in the sponsorship scheme can only be deposited from outside Paksitan.
In dollars, the Hajj expense comes up to $4,325 for northern region and $4,285 for southern region.
Banks have also been told to accept fees even if they are upto $50 short of the total.
Authorities have attributed the lower number of applications this year to the fact that a longer than normal period has been set for people to apply. Applications for Hajj are open from March 16 to March 31.
