ECC approves additional $163m for Hajj
Pakistan
The ECC gave the approval of additional amount in a meeting presided over by the finance minister.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet has approved an additional $163 million in foreign exchange for Hajj 2023.
The ECC gave the approval of additional amount at a meeting presided over by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday.
The committee also considered a summary submitted by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony on the Hajj quota and its financing. The ministry gave details of the Hajj Policy-2023, the number of applications received under the Regular Hajj Scheme, unutilised quota under regular and sponsorship Hajj schemes and financial requirements.
The ECC approved the modalities of the scheme and decided that all 72,869 received applications under the regular scheme would be declared successful without balloting.
According to the ministry, the Hajj Policy stipulates that 179,210 quota of Pakistan would be distributed equally between the government and private scheme. The 50 per cent quota under each scheme would be filled through sponsorship for which Hajj dues will be remitted in dollars from abroad. The sponsorship scheme was expected to secure $194 million out of the total required $284 million. The ECC and the cabinet have approved that the finance division will provide the remaining $90 million foreign exchange cover for the Hajj.
