Islamabad, 4 Sep, 2023 (GNP): Caretaker Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Aneeq Ahmed, took charge of a pivotal gathering to discuss the future of the Private Hajj Scheme. The meeting convened key stakeholders from various Hajj groups and representatives of the Hajj Organizers Association of Pakistan (HOAP), with the joint secretary of Hajj delivering a comprehensive briefing.
The discussion revolved around essential topics, including Saudi companies’ facilities, the sponsorship Hajj scheme, service visas, and more. Minister Aneeq stressed the importance of private Hajj companies adhering to Saudi directives regarding Hajj quotas, with Saudi authorities recommending a range of 2,000 to 3,000 pilgrims per company.
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He urged private Hajj companies to submit sponsorship fee details well in advance of the deadline and emphasized the need for improved monitoring and complaint handling to enhance the overall Hajj pilgrimage experience. The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing concerns and reservations of Hajj companies during the upcoming visit to the Kingdom and pledged to mobilize all available resources for a seamless pilgrim experience.
Minister Aneeq commended the services provided by most private Hajj group operators and proposed measures to strengthen trade relations further. The briefing revealed that a total of 901 Hajj companies were registered under the Private Hajj Scheme, with corrective action required as 102 companies failed to upload the necessary data on the Ministry’s portal.
In line with new Saudi directives, HOAP committed to presenting their recommendations on the cluster system to the ministry within 24 hours, demonstrating their dedication to facilitating a smoother Hajj experience.
