KARACHI: The fare of Haj and Umrah will be reduced so that people could benefit from the decrease in petroleum prices in the international market. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has already cut its fares.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said this while speaking at a seminar `Change in life after performing Haj’ organised by the Karwaan-i-Hira organisation here on Friday night.

He said the government would provide maximum facilities to pilgrims under the Haj policy being made for 2016. Input from all stakeholders will be gathered for making the new policy practical and widely recognised, he added.

Prominent among those present were former federal minister for religious affairs Haji Hanif Tayyab and Chairman of Sailani Welfare International Trust, Allama Bashir Farooqui.

Sardar Yousuf said that 2,740 companies were operating in the country as Haj and Umrah operators and asked them to submit proposals to the ministry to make the Haj policy comprehensive enough to ensure maximum facilities for pilgrims.

He remarked that best possible arrangements had been made for Haj in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Sardar Yousuf said that he and officials in his ministry would welcome suggestions and recommendations for bringing improvement to the Haj policy.

He said that after reduction of petroleum prices in the international market, PIA had cut its fares for Haj and Umrah. And, he added, a policy was being made to ensure reduction in the fares of private airlines.

The minister regretted that instead of putting their heart and soul in prayers, some pilgrims were more interested in making their pictures and videos.

In Islamabad, he said, a code of prayers had been introduced after due consultations with ulema belonging to different schools of thought. This would be expanded to the entire country. Thus, it would be ensured that azaan and prayers could be performed at the same time.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2016