Previous govts responsible for gas price hike, withdrawal of hajj subsidy: Fawad

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Monday said that the economic policies of the previous governments were responsible for the withdrawal of the hajj subsidy and increase in gas prices.

“If today, the government is not able to give you a subsidy on hajj and increasing gas prices, the root-cause behind this are the governments who ruled for last 10 years,” Fawad tweeted in response to critics.

اگر آپ حج کو سبسڈی نہیں دے پا رہے، گیس مہنگی کرنی پڑ رہی ہے تو اس کی وجہ یہ جونکیں ہیں جو دس سال تک خون چوستی رہیں، جس کی تکلیف اب محسوس ہو رہی ہے
جب تک ان جونکوں کو ہٹا کر مسلیں گے نہیں تب تک دو نہیں ایک پاکستان کا خواب پورا نہیں ہو گا@fawadchaudhry pic.twitter.com/DeGtveDgxS

— Fawad Chaudhry (@FawadPTIUpdates) February 4, 2019

Lambasting the steep hike in the new hajj policy on Friday, opposition senators had termed it a “drone attack on pilgrims”.

It is pertinent to mention that the government withdrew the subsidy on pilgrimages, increasing the expenses by Rs176,000 for each pilgrim whereas the overall pilgrimage amounted to Rs456,000.

Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri briefed the cabinet meeting about the new hajj policy that was chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

According to the new hajj policy more than 184,000 Pakistanis would perform the religious ritual of hajj this year, while 60 per cent quota would be reserved for the government and the remaining 40 per cent for private hajj tour operators.