Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is obligatory upon every Muslim once in a lifetime who can afford the holy pilgrimage. However, the ever increasing cost of Hajj is depriving people from the opportunity to perform the sacred journey.
The government announced the new Hajj Policy under which the pilgrimage will now cost Rs490,000 per person under the government scheme. This marks an increase of seven percent as compared to last year, and it seems that the sacred duty has also been affected by the economic crisis.
The religious affairs minister claimed that the government had curtailed Haj expenses to the maximum possible or else it would have cost would have jumped to Rs540,000. The devaluation of the rupee, inflation, increased air fares, and accommodation expenses are considered to be the main factors for the rising cost of Haj.
Another reason for the rise is the additional costs which every pilgrim has to bear. The Saudi government requires very pilgrim to pay 300 riyals at the time of visa issuance and 110 riyals for health insurance. The religious affairs ministry requested Saudi authorities to waive these costs which was rejected and instead they were promised improved facilities and arrangements.
The government has withdrawn all subsidies on Hajj last year to immense criticism due to the adverse economic conditions. It claimed that Haj was a religious obligation for those who can afford the journey, while subsidies are rather provide on essential items which benefit the lower segments of society.
Pakistan has the second highest number of people performing Hajj. This year 179,000 people from the country will embark on the spiritual journey. They face more the brunt of these increasing expenses.The airfare costs around Rs60,000 during Umrah but suddenly shoots to Rs150,000 during Haj while the number of airlines operating is limited offering no alternatives to pilgrims.
This is now the most expensive Haj in the history of the country. Although the recent hike can be attributed to the Saudi policy which have been binding on all Muslim countries not just Pakistan, there is no denying that Hajj is a massive source of income for government departments. The national airline, who operates most of the special Haj flights, seems be making a profit during the month.
Many people yearn to fulfill their religious obligation and use their lifetime savings on this journey. The elite use private tours operators but for most people Hajj is now beyond their distant dream. The government can certainly ensure to reduce the cost of Haj so that this lifelong desire can be fulfilled.
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