ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Aneeq Ahmad expressed on Friday that the government of Saudi Arabia wanted to reduce the number of private Hajj tour operators.
Speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the minister said presently there were 901 Hajj operators in Pakistan, but Saudi Arabia wanted to reduce the number to 200 for proper management.
The comments came days after the minister chaired a pivotal gathering to discuss the Private Hajj Scheme’s future.
The main concern of the participants was Saudi companies’ facilities, the sponsorship Hajj scheme, service visas, and other issues related to Hajj.
During the meeting, Aneeq Ahmed emphasized the need for private Hajj companies to adhere to Saudi Arabia’s directives regarding the allocation of Hajj quotas.
The minister was of the view that Saudi authorities had advised reducing the number of Hajj companies, recommending a range of 2,000 to 3,000 pilgrims per company.
The caretaker minister also directed the private Hajj companies to submit sponsorship fee details well in advance of the deadline.
He stressed the need for enhanced monitoring and complaint handling to elevate the overall Hajj pilgrimage experience; the minister also commended the services offered by most private Hajj group operators.
The participants were told that a total of 901 Hajj companies were registered under the Private Hajj Scheme, but corrective action was deemed necessary as 102 companies failed to upload the required data on the Ministry’s portal.
Earlier in July, then Minister for Religious Affairs Talha Mehmood announced that all the intending pilgrims who will go for Hajj in 2024 will have to pay their expenses in US dollars instead of Pakistani rupee though no development has been made in this regard by the religious affairs ministry.
