Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood on Wednesday was briefed that the first Hajj flight would take off on May 20, from Pakistan.
Secretary Religious Affairs Aftab Akbar Durrani while briefing the minister, informed that the Hajj fight operation would be concluded on June 21.
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He further said the biometrics of pilgrims would be completed by April 28, while the ministry had sought valid passports of pilgrims till the same date.
He apprised that training on Hajj rituals and administrative affairs was being conducted by all ten Haji Camps across the country from Thursday.
Participation in Hajj training organized at Tehsil and District level was mandatory, he added.
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Chairing the meeting, Minister Talha also informed about his recent engagements in Saudi Arabia and directed not to compromise on the provision of facilities to pilgrims.
He said due to time constraints, we would have to work day and night to complete Hajj arrangements.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had vowed that the government would provide all possible facilities to the pilgrims intending to perform Hajj this year.
The financial czar made the remarks while chairing a meeting to review progress on Hajj Scheme 2023 in Islamabad in the first week of the current month.
“Hajj is a sacred religious obligation and the government will facilitate the Hujjaj in every possible manner,” he had said.
The secretary of the religious affairs ministry had informed the meeting that receipt of applications for the Hajj-2023 was closed on the 31st of last month as per the government’s Hajj policy.
It was also informed that 72,869 applications had been received in the banks against the quota of 44,190 of the government’s regular scheme.