Hajj fare increased

Abbas Ali · Post by **Abbas Ali** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 11:42 am

BY RAO KHALID

ISLAMABAD - Despite assurance by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz not to increase Haj fare this year, the Government has increased air fare by 20 per cent for Hajj 2006, The Nation learnt on Monday.

The sources said in a recent meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, PIA insisted on increase in Hajj fare by 35 to 52 per cent citing increase in fuel prices at international level.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs opposed the proposal and supported minimum increase in Haj fare. Finally, PIA and Ministry of Religious Affairs agreed to increase Haj fare by 20 per cent.

After the increase, the new air fare from Karachi and Quetta will be Rs 35000 and from all other cities the fare will be Rs 42000. Last year the fare from all other cities except Karachi and Quetta was Rs. 35000. The increase will only be in air fare and there will be no increase in other charges.

The Ministry has started making residential arrangements for pilgrims and had already sent US $ 0.6 million to Director General Haj in Saudi Arabia.

Source: The Nation

Moin · Post by **Moin** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 6:35 pm

Hajj flights should be exempt from all taxes. Pretty soon it will only be the privileged class who will be able to perform Hajj.

danny02 · Post by **danny02** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 6:54 pm

thats a shame..In India muslims are given subsidised hajj fare and other incentives and in pakistan its completely opposite. Thats the reason that indian muslims end up paying half of what we have to pay for hajj.

Che · Post by **Che** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 10:31 pm

Pakistani gov't will subsidize if you are making a pilgrimage to Guru Nanak's shrine...