ISLAMABAD, Sept 24: The Hajj balloting under the government’s regular scheme will be held at the Ministry of Religious Affairs on Oct 6. Over 200,000 applications have been received under regular and private Haj schemes.

Ministry sources said that number of applications under the private scheme is less than the allowed quota of 75,000 pligrims for tour operators.

In all 75,000 out of 149,000 who have applied would perform Haj under the government’s regular Haj scheme this year.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has cla-rified that people who also applied for Haj 2005 and 2006 under the government scheme and were unsuccessful in balloting on both occasions should consider themselves successful for the coming Haj. —PPI