ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has given the go-ahead for an additional $163 million in foreign currency for the 2023 Hajj.
In a meeting on Monday, the ECC approved the additional funds under the direction of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.
The committee also looked at a report on the Hajj quota and its funding that was provided by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony. The ministry provided information on the Hajj Policy-2023, the quantity of applications received for the Regular Hajj Scheme, the amount of the Regular Hajj Scheme quota that has not yet been used, and the necessary funding.
The ECC agreed that all 72,869 applications received under the standard scheme would be declared successful without balloting and approved the scheme’s procedures.
The Hajj Policy, according to the ministry, calls for 179,210 quotas of Pakistan to be split equally between the public and private sectors. Each scheme’s 50% quota would be filled by sponsorship, for which Hajj dues would be sent from outside in dollars. Out of the $284 million total needed, it was anticipated that the sponsorship plan would raise $194 million. The finance division will provide the final $90 million in foreign exchange coverage for the hajj, as agreed by the ECC and the cabinet.
