ISLAMABAD: On the directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, PIA has announced a reduction in air fare for Haj 2016 by approximately Rs4,000, a spokesman of the airline said. 

The flights will be operated on a no-profit, no-loss basis, he said, adding that this year’s return fare for flights from Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore and Sialkot would be Rs 95,000, while pilgrims from Karachi, Quetta and Sukkur would pay Rs86,000, inclusive of taxes.

Meanwhile, the government informed the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs on Friday that the cost of Haj would be reduced by Rs120 per person this year.

The committee, headed by Senator Hafiz Hamdullah, was briefed on the draft Haj Policy for 2016, which will be forwarded to the federal cabinet for approval next week.

“A total of 143,368 Pakistanis will perform Haj this year at a cost of Rs264,851 per person compared to the Rs264,971 charged last year,” Religious Affairs Secretary Suhail Aamir told the committee.

He said that 60pc of the pilgrims would perform Haj under the government’s scheme. “The ministry will start receiving applications from April 4 and the final balloting will be held on April 17,” the secretary said. 

The committee’s members criticised the schedule and asked how could the ministry start collecting applications from Monday when the policy was yet to be approved. The senators also expressed concern over the delay in finalising the policy. “April has started and the ministry is yet to send a draft to the prime minister for approval,” Senator Hafiz Hamdullah said.

Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said that last year also the policy was finalised in April. He said that applications would be received from April 4 and 10 days were enough to complete the process.

According to the draft policy, Haj flights will operate from Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Multan, Peshawar, Rahim Yar Khan and Sukkur. And the ministry’s secretary said that PIA, Shaheen Air, Air Blue and Saudi Airlines would take part in the Haj operation.

The committee was also informed that an Emergency Management System would be in place to cope with any untoward situation, such as the Mina stampede last year. A seven-member committee headed by the Haj DG will supervise the working of the unit. Besides, a team of 450 supporting staff, including personnel of the police, army and other departments will be deputed with the pilgrims.

Joint secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Ilyas Khan informed the committee that five private companies had been blacklisted on the basis of complaints filed by pilgrims against them last year.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2016