Government may limit Hajj quota because of a shortage of dollars.

The government is considering giving up as many as 40,000 seats from the total Hajj quota that Saudi Arabia gave to Pakistan for this year’s pilgrimage.

As per a report in First light, the public authority has been compelled to consider this proposition because of the deficiency of unfamiliar trade saves. The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony and the Ministry of Finance are debating various options for resolving the issue, so no final decision has been made in this regard.

During a pastor led by Money Priest Ishaq Dar on Saturday to survey progress on Hajj Plan for the ongoing year, the clergyman was educated that Hajj costs to be paid for this present year would be more than $270 million, against prior assumptions for $90 million.

The government is considering giving up 40,000 of the 179,210 seats it was given by Saudi Arabia this year because of this huge difference.

A scheme that was put in place by the government to pay for Hajj expenses in US dollars did not live up to expectations. Under the plan, the public authority expected to raise near $180 million, decreasing the dependence on the stores held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to pay Hajj costs.

However, only 15% of the 6,000 seats offered by this program have been utilized to date. The public authority has previously expanded the last date for accommodation of Hajj applications under the sponsorship plan to April 7, from the prior cutoff time of Walk 31 in a bid to draw in additional candidates.

Out of the all out standard appointed to Pakistan, the public authority similarly split the quantity between confidential Pilgrimage administrators and the public authority’s plan. Out of the government’s quota, 45,415 seats were reserved for the sponsorship program, which requires applicants to pay for the Hajj package in US dollars Government may limit Hajj quota because of a shortage of dollars..

As previously reported by despite the low interest in the sponsorship program, the government has received an overwhelming response for the regular program, with 72,869 applications for 44,190 seats.

The religious affairs ministry also proposed using the sponsorship scheme’s unutilized quota to accommodate pilgrims who have applied for the regular program. However, this will only take place if the expenses are paid for in US dollars by the finance ministry.