The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has constituted a high level committee to review Hajj quota regime of all Hajj Group Organisers (HGOs), especially to devise quota allotment policy for HGOs enrolled in the year 2012.
According to official sources, the committee has been mandated to finalise its recommendations regarding non-quota holder enrolled companies for incorporating in next Hajj policy for the year 2017 as this year, private Hajj quota is being distributed among only 742 enrolled old HGOs and there is no room for allocating quota to the (new) HGOs enrolled in the year 2012.
The committee, headed by Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, would consist of Minister of State on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, National Assembly chairmen, Senate standing committees on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony secretary, Representative of Ministry of Law (not less than the officer of BS-20), representative of attorney general of Pakistan, representative of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (not less than the officer of BS-20), representative of Securities Exchange Commission of Pakistan (not less than the officer of BS-20), representative of Competition Commission of Pakistan (not less than the officer of BS-20) as members. Hajj joint secretary will perform the duties of secretary of the committee.
The committee will review quota regime of all HGOs, keeping in view the recommendation of Competition Commission and Supreme Court judgment and will give its recommendation for Hajj policy 2017.
The private Hajj flight operation would commence from the August 4 and last Hajj flight will leave Saudi Arabia on September 5.
According to a member of Hajj Organiser Association of Pakistan, the return of Pakistani private Hujjaj would continue from September 17 till October 6.
Meanwhile, the ministry launched an SMS service, 8331, to help save pilgrims from any fraud or swindlers.
According to official sources, an intending pilgrim, desiring to perform the sacred religious ceremony through Hajj Group Organiser (HGO) should send his HGO’s enrollment number from his mobile phone to 8331.
