October 07, 2006	Saturday	Ramazan 13, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 6: The government on Friday announced its Haj policy for the year 2006 according to which as many as 150,000 pilgrims would be sent for the pilgrimage.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Ejazul Haq unveiled the salient features of the policy in a ceremony at his ministry.

On this occasion, the federal minister also witnessed balloting of 63,592 intending pilgrims who had been selected to perform pilgrimage under the government scheme whereas the remaining 86,408 would go through private Haj organisations, tour operators and other quotas.

He said the selection was made through a thoroughly transparent process of e-government.

Giving further details, Mr Haq said out of the total number, about 75,000 pilgrims would go for Haj under the government scheme. They include 7,158 pilgrims who could not succeed to perform this religious obligation in the years 2004 and 2005; 3,500 would be sent under the parliamentarian quota, 500 under labour quota, 150 under the quota specified for Haj Foundation, 100 would be sponsored by the UAE government and 63,592 under the government scheme selected through computerised balloting. The remaining 75,000 will perform the pilgrimage through private Haj organisations and tour operators.

The minister said 151,732 people applied this year for Haj under the government scheme out of which 87,143 and 64,589 opted for white and green residential categories, respectively.

He said the result of Haj balloting could also be seen at the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ website www.hajjinfo.org.

Mr Haq congratulated the ministry officials for their timely completion of data entry of the applicants and other arrangements.

The minister said PIA would ferry about 124,500 intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia while Saudi Airlines would airlift about 25,500 pilgrims for Haj this year.

To facilitate the intending pilgrims further, he said about 16,500 pilgrims would directly be flown to Medina out of which 15,000 would travel by PIA while 1,500 on Saudi Airlines.