According to media reports, Pakistan’s coalition government has failed to subsidize the pilgrims’ expensive Hajj packages, demonstrating the country’s severe economic situation and incompetence.
The absence of subsidies is causing financial difficulties for the Hajj pilgrims. The coalition government of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) parties allegedly failed to offer subsidies, according to local media outlet ARY News in Pakistan. Due to the lack of a Hajj subsidy, the Pakistani pilgrims encountered financial difficulties while traveling to Saudi Arabia. So far, the Hajj pilgrims have not even gotten a small portion of the payment.
Notably, the nation’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, had authorized a total subsidy to the pilgrims of PKR 150,000.
Out of this, the overall Hajj expenses came to PKR 900,000, and the government was required to reimburse each of the 32,000 pilgrims who registered for the government program with Rs 150,000.
According to the media portal, the situation on the ground is still uncertain as to when the pilgrims will receive the subsidies even after these subsidy approvals.
Although the government claimed it would provide a PKR 4.8 billion Hajj subsidy, it has not yet been paid out. If the pilgrims receive relief from the prompt delivery of their subsidy during Hajj, it will be a subject of financial alleviation, according to media portal.
According to local media citing government sources, after pilgrims have completed the Hajj and returned home, the subsidy money will be paid to their bank accounts.
Earlier, Mufti Abdul Shakoor, the federal minister for religious affairs, disclosed that the government’s Haj package will cost between PKR 650,000 and PKR 710,000.
According to the minister, 52% of the overall cost was made up of Saudi Arabian and Pakistani government mandated charges, while airfare made up 21% and miscellaneous costs 27% of the total.
The Minister continued by criticizing the administration of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, stating that “the total spending would have increased to Rs 1.1 million if the previous administration had been permitted to remain and not be ousted.”