Islamabad, Jan 1: The Pakistani government is considering withdrawing from managing the Hajj arrangements and may hand over the entire program to private operators starting next year. This announcement was made by Dr. Zulfiqar Haider, Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs chaired by Senator Maulana Atta-ur-Rehman.
Key Points:
- Complaints: Dr. Haider revealed that the government-managed scheme faced significantly more complaints compared to private operators. The government scheme received 18,000 complaints, while private operators had only 80 complaints this year.
- Registration of Hajj Operators: Initially, the Ministry of Religious Affairs had registered 904 Hajj tour companies. However, due to concerns from Saudi authorities, only 162 firms were retained, all of which are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).
- Quota Distribution: This year, Saudi Arabia allocated a Hajj quota of 2,000 pilgrims per company, distributed among 46 operators.
- Legal Concerns: Dr. Haider emphasized the need for private operators to resolve ongoing legal disputes in the Sindh High Court. Any delays could jeopardize their Hajj quotas, with the possibility of Saudi Arabia canceling them entirely if the issues are not resolved.
