Policy and plan for HAJJ

Government of Pakistan

Ministry of Religious Affairs



Subject: POLICY AND PLAN FOR HAJJ – 2009.





Salient features of Hajj Policy and Plan for Hajj – 2009, as approved by the Cabinet in its meeting on 17-06-2009, are as follows:



GOVERNMENT HAJJ SCHEME



RECEIPT OF HAJJ APPLICATION



The applications for Hajj-2009 will be invited w.e.f. 22-06-2009 under Government Scheme. The closing date will be 11-07-2009 . The applications will be received through designated bank branches of ABL, HBL, MCB, NBP, UBL & ZTBL. Machine Readable International Passport (MRIP) in original will have to be deposited with the same bank branches within four (4) days of the ballot by the successful applicants, otherwise, they will be declared un-successful.



NUMBER OF PILGRIMS



As per agreement with the Saudi Govt, 159,647 Pakistani nationals will perform Hajj 2009. The number of pilgrims under the Government Scheme would be 80,000 and those under HGO Scheme would be 79,647. Additional quota of 10,353 has already been requested from the Saudi Government.



CNIC

Mandatory requirement of Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) for filing of Hajj applications will remain intact



IMRP



Saudi Government will affix Hajj Visa only on Machine Readable International Passport (MRIP), having validity of at-least one year on the date of filing the Hajj application.





REPEAT HAJJ



No Hajj application shall be entertained for repeat Hajj, if the applicant has performed Hajj during the last five years except in three cases viz Mahram of a lady who did not perform Hajj earlier, Group Leader & Hajj-e-Badal.



BALLOTTING



The ballot shall be held if the applications are received in excess of the seats available under Govt. Scheme. There will be no special quota and the hujjaj will be selected 100% through ballot under Government Hajj Scheme.



The applicants who have been unsuccessful in the ballot during last two years (i.e. Hajj December 2007 and Hajj December 2008) consecutively under Government Scheme shall be declared successful without ballot.

Unsuccessful applicants of a Hajj year will be declared successful in the succeeding Hajj year if they choose not to withdraw Hajj dues deposited by them;



FLIGHT OPERATION:

The Hajj Flight Operation will commence with effect from the 1st of Zul Qaadah 1430H. / corr. (20-10-­2009) and will end as on 4th of Zul Hijjah 1430H. / corr. (23 -11-2009). Hujjaj would travel by PIA and Saudi Arabian Airline.

PIA and Saudi Airlines would airlift the Hujjaj. With the exception of two feeder Airports i.e., Sukkur and Faisalabad all other Airports (Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Sialkot, Rahim Yar Khan) would be used for direct flights to and from Jeddah and Madina;



AIR FARE



The Hajj air-fare would be as under:-

Sector Air Fare

Karachi/Quetta Rs.61,000/-

Other stations Rs.73,000/-



HAJJ DUES



The detail of Hajj dues is as under:-

Particulars Karachi/Quetta
Other Stations

Air Fare
61,000
73,000

Terminal Taxes Rs.500+SR.50
1,600
1,600

Rent of accommodation at Makkah & Madinah SR.3200*+SR.400=SR.3600
79,200
79,200

Compulsory Hajj Dues=SR.1288
28,336
28,336

Personal Exchange Quota
13,714
16,714

Service/vaccination Charges
1,150
1,150

Total (in Rupees)
185,000
200,000


1SR=Rs.22

* Saudi Riyal 3200 is upper limit. However, Haji will be charged on actual rent basis.





PERSONAL EXCHANGE QUOTA



After deduction of compulsory hajj dues, accommodation charges and special services charges payable to Saudi Agencies, the balance amount in foreign exchange would be provided in cash to intending pilgrims before their departure from Pakistan to meet day-to-day expenses in Saudi Arabia.

ACCOMMODATION



There will be only one category of accommodation for Hajj - 2009 in Makkah Al-Mukarramah. There is an acute shortage of buildings in the vicinity of Haram Sharif due to demolition of buildings in Makkah Mukarrramah. After detailed deliberations, it was decided that following provisions for hiring of accommodation for Hajj Pilgrims for Hajj – 2009 will be observed:-

a. The maximum rent in Makkah Mukarramah shall be SR.3200 per pilgrim upto 2000 meters;

b. In case the required accommodation cannot be hired within the range of 2000 meters, available accommodation beyond 2,000 meters in Mehboos-al-Jin and Azizia upto SR.3200 per pilgrim will be hired subject to provision of shuttle bus service having a frequency of at least 4 times a day;

c. Accommodation in Madina Munawwarah shall be hired at SR.400 per pilgrim per cycle, to be paid on actual occupancy basis within 1,000 meters;

d. The distance limit can be crossed by the least possible only in exceptional cases both at Makkah and Madinah.



HAJJ GROUP ORGANIZERS (HGO) SCHEME



RECEIPT OF HAJJ APPLICATION



The schedule for enrollment of HGOs for Hajj-2009 and receipt of hajj applications under HGOs scheme would be as under:-



Issuance/submission of application

forms for enrollment as HGO = 22-06-2009 to 30-06-2009



Scrutiny of application forms for

Enrollment/documents/past performance = 01-07-2009 to 22-07-2009



Announcement of categories of HGOs

and issuance of offer letters/Hajj

application forms to the HGOs = 23-07-2009



Deposit of cash guarantee / service

Providers Agreement and Undertaking

by the HGOs = 23-07-2009 to 31-07-2009



Last date for deposit of Hajj application

forms by the HGOs and issuance of

recognition letters to the HGOs = 15-08-2009



Issuance of final list of HGOs alongwith

Quota and detail of Munazim card etc

to Saudi Hajj Ministry, Saudi Embassy

and Saudi Consulate General at Karachi

for issuance of Multiple entry visas = 20-08-2009

i. As per directions of Saudi Authorities, no new induction of HGOs will be undertaken for Hajj 2009;

ii. HGOs having good track record consistently for 5 years, shall be eligible for permanent registration with the Ministry subject to fulfillment of criteria, laid down for existing HGOs;

iii. Bank guarantee will be replaced with the cash guarantee, to be refunded after four months of the end of the Hajj season;

iv. For transparency, to bring right people at the right slot and to discourage the companies to get quota on the basis of untoward pressure, the following categorization will be introduced:-



1
2
3

Cat.
Cash Guarantee
Quota (Range)

A
5.00-millions
To be announced

after receipt of applications for enrollment as HGO.

B
4.00-millions

C
3.00-millions

D
2.00-millions

E
1.00-millions


a) Quantum of seats, allocated to each category, shall be announced after the category is selected by the HGOs in writing and within the stipulated period;

b) If a large number of HGOs qualify for a higher category wherein they cannot be accommodated due to limited number of quota, then the distribution of quota will be made strictly on merit i. e. through ballot and the remaining unsuccessful HGOs will compete for a lower category / categories.

c) Higher the selection of category, higher would be the allocation of seats;

d) In case the company is hit by one or more given parameters, it can be adjusted within the range provided for that category or would be scaled down to a lower category & cash guarantee would be received for the revised category only.

e) The maximum ceiling provided within a particular category can witness upward revision/adjustment depending on the volume of applications filed for any category.



TRAINING PROGRAM

The Ministry gives high priority for training of pilgrims. Master trainers from the teaching faculties of Arabic and Islamic Studies Departments of the Universities and the experienced master trainers working on voluntary basis will impart training to pilgrims upto Tehsil level. The Provincial Governments also provide all the necessary facilities for training programs. PTV and Radio Pakistan will also run special programs on Hajj. The intending pilgrims are advised to attend the training programs regularly.



HAJJ MATERIAL



Updated CDs on Hajj are made available in the Haji Camps at a nominal price for the benefit of the pilgrims. Hajj booklets Anwar-e-Harmain and Aamal-e-Hajj will be provided to the pilgrims to enable them to prepare for Hajj.



AAB-E-ZAM ZAM



The pilgrims are allowed to bring 10 liter can of Aab-e-Zam Zam free of cost with their luggage.



SUIT-CASE



PIA will provide each haji a suitcase as per specifications, given by Saudi authorities.