ISLAMABAD, Nov 22: The ministry of religious affairs advised intending pilgrims on Saturday to take with them additional foreign exchange to meet their day-to-day requirements and the expenditure on sacrificial animals.

The ministry had announced at the time of inviting Haj applications that the pilgrims would be provided with 12,000 Saudi Riyal each to meet their day-to-day expenses during their stay in the holy land, but they were given only SR7,000 each. Minister for Religious Affairs Sahibzada Hamid Saeed Kazmi admitted at his press conference the other day that the foreign exchange had been paid less than the promised because of heavy house rent being charged by hotels and guest houses.

The spokesman, however, issued the following press release to justify the reduced amount:

“It is notified for information of general public that at the time of announcement of the Haj Policy 2008 the rate of dollar and Saudi Riyal was Rs69.50 and Rs18.50, respectively which has now gone up to Rs80 and Rs21, respectively.

“In view of the increase in the buying rate of dollar and Saudi Riyal, the intending hujjaj were receiving comparatively less personal exchange quota than it was expected in July when the Haj Policy 2008 was prepared.