Pakistan allows 25,000 seats for the Hajj 2024 sponsorship scheme that exempts voters who pay with foreign currency.
- The government has set aside 25,000 seats for the program of sponsorship.
- Voting is “exempted” from those who pay with foreign currency.
- Ministry to look for assistance in educating the diaspora about the application procedure.
Only 2,800 Hajj applications were received in the sponsorship scheme, so as the December 22 Hajj application deadline approaches, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has decided to look for help to guarantee greater participation from the Pakistani diaspora.
The government has allotted 25,000 seats in the sponsorship scheme to draw in significant foreign cash in the aftermath of declining foreign exchange reserves.
Also Read: Banks Open on Weekends for Hajj Applications Collection
Those who pay their dues in dollars from overseas will be proclaimed “winners” without the requirement for voting.
In light of the low number of applications received for the sponsorship program, in addition to the 58,000 applications received under the regular program, the Ministry of Religious Affairs wrote to the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis to inform Pakistanis residing overseas about the process of applying for the Hajj, as reported by Geo News.
The ministry has chosen to ask the Ministry of Information for help in this matter after contacting the interior and foreign ministries.
The last development occurred after the government last week extended the deadline for Hajj applications by ten days, from December 12 to December 22.
Applications may be filed using a passport that is good until December 16, 2024, and a passport application token may also be used to process the Hajj application.
Under the government program, approximately 89,605 Pakistanis are anticipated to complete the Hajj at a cost of approximately Rs1,075,000, which is Rs100,000 less than it was the year before.
In addition, the government has unveiled long- and short-term packages that last for 20 to 25 days and 38 to 42 days, respectively.
In the meantime, women will have the chance to travel on the sacred path alone for the first time in history, as they are not traditionally required to have a male companion.
In addition, the government would give the pilgrims from Pakistan complimentary cellphone SIMs with roaming internet packages.
It is important to note that Pakistan has reserved half of the 179,000 Hajj seats, for private Hajj operators.
