ISLAMABAD ( WNAM REPORT ): The 6th meeting of the Standing Committee for Religious and Social Harmony of FPCCI Federal Capital Islamabad was held at the FPCCI Capital Office, chaired by its Convener, Huzoor-ul-Islam.
The meeting mainly focused on the difficulties facing by Pakistani Hajj pilgrims and organizers as over 67000 Pakistanis are depriving from performing Hajj this year causing heavy financial losses of billion of rupees both by the pilgrims and the hajj operators. The committee unanimously urged the government to immediately take up the matter in the concerned quarter and resolve the issue.
Attendees included Deputy Convener Mufti Mahmood Aamir, Chairman Retailers Ijaz Khan, Former Senior Vice President Islamabad Chamber Mahmood Warraich, Chairman Religious Affairs Committee Islamabad Chamber Tariq Wani, Executive Members Chaudhry Muhammad Irfan and Chaudhry Muhammad Nawaz Basra, and other members.
Huzoor-ul-Islam and Mufti Mahmood Aamir stated that an agreement signed in January allowed 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims to perform Hajj, with approximately 90,000 under the government scheme. However, a subsequent Ministry of Religious Affairs notification permitted only 23,620 pilgrims to perform Hajj privately, leaving the fate of 67,000 Hajj pilgrims uncertain.
It was highlighted that 2.67 billion Saudi Riyals (approximately Rs. 199.67 billion) had already been transferred from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia for Hajj arrangements. Consequently, the more than Rs. 36 billion paid by the 67,000 affected pilgrims is now in an uncertain situation.
Huzoor-ul-Islam, Mufti Aamir Mahmood, and other participants emphasized that many of these pilgrims are poor individuals who saved for years to fulfill their Hajj obligation, and now their money is at risk, along with their chance to perform Hajj.
The participants collectively demanded that both the Pakistani and Saudi authorities seriously review this issue concerning thousands of pilgrims and find a solution that favors the pilgrims. This would allow them to offer special prayers for the country and nation during their Hajj pilgrimage, which would be seen as a positive outcome.
