ISLAMABAD, Oct 14: The religious affairs ministry has earned a profit of Rs13.901 million from Haj deposits which were transferred by the banks to its accounts for the first time, Religious Affairs Secretary Jamil Bhutto has disclosed.

The banks never transferred the amounts deposited by Haj pilgrims in the past and earned the profit themselves. But the ministry made it sure this time that the profit on the Haj dues collections went to its accounts.

The ministry received around Rs11 billion as Haj dues by Sept 9, the last date for the general applicants.

The HBL transferred Rs3.203 billion, UBL Rs1.674 billion, NBP Rs1.208 billion, MCB Rs2.526 billion, Allied Bank Rs2.262 billion, Bank of Punjab Rs43.779 million, Bank of Khyber Rs23.784 million and Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank Rs45.84 million to the ministry’s accounts.—Staff Reporter