‘Mehram
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony said that the government is allowing Pakistani women to perform Hajj without ‘Mehram’ in 2024.
The government is announcing new Hajj Policy in next two weeks. The new policy will allow women to undertake the Hajj without ‘mehram’ _ a close male relative.
The ministry also stated that the federal cabinet would approve the new Hajj policy within the next 10 days. Once approved, the Hajj application process for the following year will commence.
In addition to these updates, the ministry has established stringent regulations concerning the sighting of the crescent moon.
Under these new rules, only the Ruet-e-Hilal committee will have the authority to announce the sighting of the crescent moon.
Caretaker Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Aneeq Ahmed, noted that the Saudi Arabian government plans to enhance facilities and services for Pakistani pilgrims during the Hajj in 2024.
Improvements are taking place in areas such as accommodation, meals, and transportation, promising a more comfortable and convenient experience for pilgrims.
Saudi Minister for Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to cooperation with Pakistan and emphasized ongoing efforts by the Saudi government to enhance services for Pakistani pilgrims.
Meanwhile, Caretaker Religious Minister announced the expansion of the ‘Road to Makkah’ project to include Karachi airport as the Hajj policy has finalized by his ministry. He stated that an official announcement would be made after obtaining approval from the federal cabinet, and the project would now commence from Karachi.
Earlier this year, Islamabad and Riyadh had signed an agreement to launch the project, aiming to streamline the immigration process for Pakistanis traveling to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah.
Under this agreement, intending pilgrims would receive immigration services in Pakistan, relieving them of the need to complete the process at Saudi airports. The service has already implemented at Islamabad International Airport, benefiting approximately 26,000 pilgrims.
The interim religious minister also mentioned improvements in pilgrim facilities, such as introducing special scarves for women and providing briefcases with barcodes. They are introducing a short-term Hajj package offering unlimited calls for 50 riyals.
This year, over 81,000 Pakistani pilgrims participated in the annual spiritual pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the remainder of the total quota of 179,210 opted for private tour operators.
