Ministry Yet To Decide On Hardship Quota Applications

ISLAMABAD,(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Augst,2016) :Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has received over 13,000 applications against hardship quota in Government Hajj Scheme but it has yet to decide on it. According to official sources, it is difficult to accommodate all applicants due to availability of only 1,400 seats of hardship quota.The ministry was contemplating to select successful applicants through balloting. The hardship quota has been reserved for broken families, newly born infants whose parents are going for Hajj and intend to carry their children with them.Hardship quota is allocated on equitable basis to applicants belonging to far flung areas.

The employees of corporate entities, public sector organizations,labour/low paid employees are also adjusted in the hardship cases.

The Ministry has already decreased the hardship cases quota from five to three percent in Hajj Policy 2016, aiming to accommodate maximum pilgrims in the balloting. As many as 143,368 people will perform Hajj this year including 71,684 through Government Scheme. This year over 175,000 persons were deprived from performing Hajj in government scheme due to availability of limited number of seats for intending pilgrims.