Ishaq Dar, the federal minister for finance and revenue, said on Thursday that the government intended to accept all applications from prospective pilgrims without conducting a ballot.
Dar, who spoke at the news conference with Mufti Abdul Shakoor, the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, reported that 72,869 applications—more than the government’s quota of 44,190—had been submitted for the Regular Hajj Program.
According to him, the Finance Ministry has decided to accept all Hujjaj petitions at the direction of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the minister of religious affairs.
Dar stated that Hujjaj would receive more foreign currency reserves on the order of PM Shehbaz and with the assistance of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
He advised those who were going on pilgrimage to pray for Pakistan’s success and prosperity for it to regain its former glory.
