Hajj Packages 2011

Hajj goodwill delegations not needed: SC

faisal — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 01:14:24 +0000

Frowning over the practice of politicians and bureaucrats travelling on Hajj pilgrimage at government subsidy, the Supreme Court Monday told the Centre that these “goodwill delegations” need to be scrapped to ensure that only genuine pilgrims are benefited.
“These goodwill delegations need to be scrapped altogether. They are no longer relevant. Even a team of 9 to 10 persons is not required,” a bench of justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash Desai told Attorney General G E Vahanvati.
The apex court made the observation after Vahanvati and Centre’s counsel Harris Beran told the bench that these goodwill delegations are sent to Hajj every year to promote the country’s image as is being done by other countries.
However, the bench pointed out that the practice of sending goodwill delegations was started by India in 1967 after the Indo-Pak war as the neighboring state used the pilgrimage to launch anti-India campaign.
“This necessity is no longer there. We will gradually reduce it to four or five and then scrap it altogether,” the bench said.
Earlier, the attorney general submitted that in a bid to ensure that more pilgrims go for the annual pilgrimage to Makkah, the official goodwill delegations which earlier used to comprise 30 people have over the years been pruned to 9-10 persons.
The apex court was hearing an appeal filed by the Centre challenging a Bombay High Court judgment which had directed the Ministry of External Affairs to allow certain private operators to operate the services of 800 of the 11,000 pilgrims earmarked under the VIP quota subsidized by the government.
At the earlier hearing, the bench had pulled up the Centre’s practice of “politicizing” Hajj by permitting official delegations to accompany the pilgrims, for which the government offers huge subsidy, saying, “It’s a bad religious practice.”
In an affidavit, the Centre told the court that it has decided to restrict Hajj pilgrimage at government subsidy to Muslims only as a “once in a lifetime” affair as against the existing policy of “once in five years”.
It said the new guidelines have been framed to ensure that priority is given to those applicants who have never performed Hajj.

Only 9 Regd Pvt Haj Tour Operators in JK

faisal — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:26:39 +0000

Hajj Committee of India, Mumbai, has registered only nine Private Tour Operators of Kashmir Valley with Union Ministry of External Affairs during Hajj-2011, Executive Officer, J&K State Hajj Committee, Srinagar said today.

The information for the year 2012 will be notified as soon as the same is received from the Hajj Committee of India, Mumbai.

The registered Tour Operator include M/s Al-Khuddam Hajj and Umrah Services, Moulana Azad Link Road, Munawarabad, Srinagar, M/s Al-Huda Travel Hussaini Chowk, Mirgund, Budgam, M/s Unverse Travel Corporation, 217, Dr. Ali Jan Shopping Plaza, M.A. Road, Srinagar, M/s Al-Hayat Hajj & Omrah Travel Services, 2nd floor Plaza, Polo View, Srinagar, M/s Labaika Hajj & Umrah Services, 2nd Floor, M.S. Mall, Residency Road, Srinagar, M/s Rohani Tours & Travels, Baroo Complex, Main Bazar, Kargil, M/s Sahar Tours & Travels, Suleman Shopping Complex, Block A, Ist Floor, Rustamgari, Dalgate, Srinagar, M/s Gazi Tours & Travel, Main Market Magam, Gulmarg and M/s Bahreen Travel, Amira Kadal, Srinagar.

The total quota/seats allotted for Hajj 2011 in favour of M/s Al-Khudam Hajj & Umrah Services was 113 while other eight PTO were allotted 50 seats each.

The prospective pilgrims are informed to be cautious and also not to get swayed by false, frivolous and unauthorized notices which are off and on published in newspapers so that they may not get duped/exploited. Further information in this regard can be had from office of the Executive Officer, J&K State Hajj Committee, Bemina, Srinagar.

British Museum celebrates success of Hajj exhibition

faisal — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 01:13:14 +0000

ourney to the heart of Islam has reached the target visitor figure for the exhibition receiving over 80,000 visitors in just over seven weeks. The exhibition opened on 26 January and runs until 15 April. The exhibition has been seen by a diverse audience including many family visitors (children under the age of 16 can access the exhibition for free). With only two weeks left the British Museum has extended the opening hours of the exhibition on Saturday and Sunday evenings to release more tickets and meet demand as time slots are frequently sold out. Hajj: journey to the heart of Islam is the first major exhibition dedicated to the Hajj; the pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which is central to the Muslim faith. The exhibition examines the significance of the Hajj as one of the Five Pillars of Islam, exploring its importance for Muslims and looking at how this spiritual journey has evolved throughout history. It has brought together a wealth of objects from a number of different collections which reveal the enduring impact of Hajj across the globe and the centuries. Loans include significant material from major public and private collections in the UK and around the world, among them, the British Library, the King Abdulaziz Public Library and the Khalili Family Trust. Together these objects evoke and document the long and perilous journey associated with the pilgrimage, gifts offered to the sanctuary as acts of devotion and the souvenirs that are brought back from Hajj. They include archaeological material, manuscripts, textiles, historic photographs and contemporary art. This exhibition concludes the British Museum’s series of three exhibitions focused on spiritual journeys. Professor Nasser D. Khalili, on behalf of the Khalili Family Trust, has gifted to the British Museum two fine textiles to mark the occasion of this landmark exhibition. The Khalili Collection is fortunate, after the Topkapi Saray in Istanbul, to own the largest group of textiles and objects relating to Mecca and Medina in the world. The two sitarahs, or curtains, were made for the mosque of the Prophet in Medina, the earliest of which was commissioned by Sultan Selim Khan (Selim III) and is dated 1204 AH (1789-90 AD). The second curtain was possibly made for the mihrab, the niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the direction of the Ka’bah in Mecca, and was commissioned by Sultan Mahmud II who reigned from 1808 to 1839 AD. The sitarahs will form part of the British Museum’s permanent collection.

Hajj applications to be received from April

faisal — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:15:32 +0000

The applications for performing Hajj-2012 would be received from the first week of April and the cost is likely to increase by 13 percent due to depression in the value of local currency as comparing to dollar and riyal.According to an official, the draft of Hajj policy would be placed before the cabinet soon for approval.

The expenditures are likely to increase.The main reason of increase in Hajj expenditure is the hike in petroleum prices and rent of buildings, as comparing to previous year, he said.

There will no quota system and the policy of first come first serve will be continued during the incoming Hajj 2012.

He said, as many as 1,79,210 lucky persons would perform Hajj this year.

Half of them would perform Hajj under the government scheme while the rest under private scheme.The intending pilgrims have been divided into Green, Blue and White categories.

The intending pilgrims, who pay 7,500 riyals, would be provided residential facilities within 900 meters of Haram Sharif.

They would be placed in the Blue category.

The Green category pilgrims would be provided residence facilities from 900 to 2,000 meters (from Haram Sharif) in 5,000 riyals.White category pilgrims would be provided residences from over 2,000 meters from Haram Sharif in 3,600 riyals.

Responding to a question he said the quota of parliamentarians and others for sending choicest persons to Hajj would not be restored.

Machine readable passport, Computerised National Identity Cards has been declared mandatory this year also.

Hajj trip to cost over Tk 3 lakh

faisal — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:32:20 +0000

The cabinet yesterday approved the Hajj Package-2012 fixing the expenses at Tk 3.03 lakh for each hajj pilgrim. The amount is Tk 44,400 more than the last year’s costs.

Briefing newsmen after a meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said this year the costs have increased due to rise in US dollar and Saudi rials prices against Bangladeshi taka.

A total of 1.20 lakh Bangladeshi pilgrims will perform hajj this year.

Of them, 10,000 will go under government management and the rest under private supervision.

The private hajj packages will be fixed by the hajj agencies with Tk 1,48,559 common expenditure for all the packages.

Besides, service charges of Moallem at Mina and Arafa, house rent in Makkah and Medina, and other relatedexpenses will be included.

But the costs of each private package must not be less than the government-fixed rate, the secretary mentioned adding, it will ensure the service quality of the private agencies.

The cabinet also approved a foreign ministry proposal to issue a gazette notification on the newly demarcated maritime boundary with Myanmar.

The meeting also gave the nod to the draft of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (amendment) Act, 2012 with specific provisions for appointment of pro-vice chancellor, dean and academic council and Public University Teachers’ (retirement) (special rules) Act, 2012 increasing the retirement age of all public university teachers to 65.

Hajj applications to be received from April

faisal — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 23:57:37 +0000

According to an official, the draft of Hajj policy would be placed before the cabinet soon for approval.

The expenditures are likely to increase.The main reason of increase in Hajj expenditure is the hike in petroleum prices and rent of buildings, as comparing to previous year, he said.

There will no quota system and the policy of first come first serve will be continued during the incoming Hajj 2012.

He said, as many as 1,79,210 lucky persons would perform Hajj this year.

Half of them would perform Hajj under the government scheme while the rest under private scheme.The intending pilgrims have been divided into Green, Blue and White categories.

The intending pilgrims, who pay 7,500 riyals, would be provided residential facilities within 900 meters of Haram Sharif.

They would be placed in the Blue category.

Responding to a question he said the quota of parliamentarians and others for sending choicest persons to Hajj would not be restored.

Machine readable passport, Computerised National Identity Cards has been declared mandatory this year also.

Ambassador, Saudi Minister discuss Hajj issues

faisal — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:17:18 +0000

Ambassador Muhammad Naeem Khan held a meeting with Dr. Bandar bin Mohammad Hajjar, Minister for Hajj of Saudi Arabia here Sunday and discussed issues relating to bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for facilitating Hajj operations. The Ambassador thanked Dr. Bandar bin Mohammad Hajjar and the government of brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the excellent hospitality always extended to the Pakistani pilgrims coming to the Kingdom for Hajj and Umra.

KPK’s Proposal on Hajj Moratorium Declined

faisal — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 01:19:00 +0000

The former Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama, Hasyim Muzadi, said Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)’s proposal for hajj registration moratorium is not rightful, especially if the policy will result in the increase of Hajj Pilgrimage Expenses (ONH).

“If the hajj moratorium results in ONH rise, then it should not be done,” Hasyim told VIVAnews, today.

“If KPK sees possible corruption in hajj deposit, then it should conduct an audit, not pushing for moratorium,” said Hasyim.

He believed if the moratorium policy is considered a solution, then it should be proposed by the people or the House of Representatives (DPR) instead of KPK.

KPK earlier proposed to the Ministry of Religious Affairs to suspend hajj registration moratorium. This proposal is related to the Hajj Pilgrimage Expenses (BPIH) fund inflation. Deputy Head of KPK, Busyro Muqoddas, said the fund has reached Rp38 trillion with Rp1.7 trillion interest.

Busyro said the problem is that KPK’s accounting system couldn’t penetrate the hajj candidates fund management which may result in intransparency. “Therefore, in order to prevent over inflation, we proposed the moratorium,” he said.

During a House Commission 8’s meeting, Busyro took an example of hajj registration in 2009 which reached 700 thousand candidates. Of the number, the Ministry received an initial deposit of Rp16 trillion.

Until February 2012, the hajj registration has blown up to 1.4 million candidates with an initial deposit of Rp32 trillion. If the Ministry of Religious Affairs continues to open the registration, then the initial deposit will continue to rise even though the hajj candidates’ quota is relatively the same from year to year.

Pakistan demands additional Hajj quota

faisal — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 01:15:06 +0000

Pakistan has demanded Saudi Arabia for an additional ex-gratia quota for additional 10,000 Hajj pilgrims this year. It should be mentioned that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed the Hajj agreement 2012 in Jeddah on Saturday.
Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshed Shah along with his delegation met Saudi Arabian Minister for Hajj Dr. Bandar bin Mohammad al-Hajjar at Ministry of Hajj.
Later talking to media persona, Khursheed Shah said that 1 lakh 80 thousand Pakistani would perform Hajj in 2012. The minister said that he requested for an additional ex-gratia quota for Hajj pilgrims during the meeting with Saudi Hajj minister.

Machine Readable Passport compulsory for Hajj

faisal — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:47:58 +0000

Machine Readable Passport (MRP) has been made mandatory for proceeding on Hajj as the Ministry of Religious Affairs is likely to start receiving applications under government Hajj Scheme from next month.Intending pilgrims have been advised to obtain their MRPs at the earliest to avoid any inconvenience. The applicants, who already have passports, must ensure that their MRPs are valid for up to one year from the date of submission of application as no application form would be entertained without a valid MRP of the applicant.

Computerized National Identity Card issued by NADRA was a prerequisite for getting passport. Intending pilgrims have been further advised to review the expiry date of their CNIC and get it renewed before applying for MRP