LAHORE, April 22: A $6.7 million grant has been released to Pakistani Haj Directorate at Makkah for acquiring buildings to house pilgrims from the country.

The Makkah directorate has so far arranged accommodations for 21,000 pilgrims out of the total 77,500 who will perform Haj under the government scheme.

Federal Religious Affairs Secretary Vakil Ahmed Khan stated this at a seminar organised by the Ministry of Religious Affairs in collaboration with Haj Group Organisers Association at Al-Hamra Hall on Sunday.

He said buildings’ fares were increasing gradually owing to a tough competition, as every country wanted to acquire most suitable buildings at Makkah and Madina.

The directorate was acquiring low-fare buildings to keep overall Haj charges reasonable, he said and added that the buildings would be hired within the limit of Haram.

Vakil Ahmed said under the government scheme only those dues were deducted from the pilgrims’ deposits which the Saudi government charged for buildings, transport etc. Pakistan government did not charge for the services it rendered for the pilgrims, he clarified.

He said the process of documentation and other procedures pertaining to boarding, lodging etc were being simplified. Computer balloting of intending pilgrims had also helped improve the Haj operation, he added.

He said the 40-day Haj duration under the government scheme was because of airline companies’ schedule. Those intending to travel privately should inform the ministry, he said and added that they would be only charged for their stay in Saudi Arabia, besides an additional amount of 580 Saudi Riyals, as they would be sent back by scheduled flights of the airlines.

About the Private Haj Scheme, he said 390 Haj group organisers had so far been nominated for the purpose and complete information about them would be posted on the ministry’s website.

The Haj directorates in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad and Sukkur would present reports about the group organisers in their respective areas, besides monitoring their performance in Saudi Arabia, he said.

He said the intending pilgrims should keep a direct liaison with their respective group organisers and avoid those claiming to be their agents.

The secretary further said that a four-page proforma had been prepared for the group organisers, in which they would have to state all the facilities they offered to the pilgrims.

He warned that licenses of those group organisers would be cancelled who would fail to provide promised facilities at agreed upon price to the pilgrims.

The seminar was attended by officials concerned, besides a large number of group organisers and intending pilgrims.—APP