Haj accommodation cost in Saudi Arabia will go up by 15 percent from next year as the Ministry of Religious Affairs has increased the accommodation space for every Pakistani pilgrim.
Secretary Religious Affairs Ministry Wakil Ahmed Khan on Wednesday informed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the space earmarked for every Pakistani pilgrim in Makkah and Madina had been increased from 3 square meters to 35 square meters.
"This will increase the accommodation cost by 15 percent from next year, Wakil Ahmed said.
He said the same space, which used to be occupied by higher number of pilgrims, would now accommodate lesser number of Hajis, that was the reason behind increase in the accommodation cost.
Member PAC, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri said Pakistani pilgrims every year face many difficulties due to insufficient arrangements by the ministry in Saudi Arabia.
He particularly mentioned the pilgrims, getting stuck at the Jeddah Airport for hours awaiting clearance by the Saudi custom officials.
Haidri said the Hajis are made to pay the Haj expenses six to eight months in advance on which the ministry receives interest from the financial institutions.
The secretary said that 45,000 pilgrims next year would go directly to Madina and its governor had assured that the Saudi custom officials would clear them in one-hour time.
He said waiting time for pilgrims at Jeddah Airport was currently between two to eight hours and the Pakistani government could not do anything to improve the situation.