Federal Religious Affairs Secretary Wakeel Ahmed Khan has said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will approve the final criteria for the selection of tour operators for the allotment of Haj quota.
"Since the Minister for Religious Affairs is abroad, the recommendations regarding the finalisation of criterion for tour operators would be sent to the Prime Minister for approval," he said while talking to newsmen.
He said the ministry had recommended that regional tour operators should be given priority in allotment of quota as the local Hajis could argue them in case of complaints during the Haj performance.
He said the ministry would seek bank guarantees from the applicant tour operators for issuance of license and in case they fail to deliver the services according to the package, they would be taken to task. The Secretary said the ministry had received around 1,931 applications for 15,000 seats and we would choose the tour operator on regional basis.
He hoped the issue of quota allotment would be resolved for once and all till July 1, as Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz would give it the final nod. Regarding the Haj policy, he said the cabinet had given approval to Haj policy for five years in 2004. However, he added, the ministry would submit minor adjustments to the Prime Minister as per requirements.
He said around 1,50,000 people would perform Haj this year, however, the Ministry for Religious Affairs had requested the Saudi government for a further increase of 10,000 Hajis, which would raise the tally to 1,60,000. "We are still waiting for reply from the concerned Saudi authorities in this regard and if approved, 10,000 more Hajis would perform Haj," he added.