ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs of Pakistan has extended the last date for the submission of passports by Hajj pilgrims in respective bank branches till the 28th of this month.
The decision was taken to facilitate the intending pilgrims who were facing difficulties due to various reasons.
The Ministry has advised the pilgrims to use the “Saudi Visa Bio” smartphone app for biometric verification while staying at their homes. This app will allow them to complete the biometric verification process without having to visit a visa center.
However, in case of any difficulty, the Ministry has asked the pilgrims to visit the nearest Gerry’s Visa Centre between 2 PM to 6 PM.
All intending pilgrims to perform Hajj
Earlier this month, the Finance Ministry of Pakistan announced that all intending pilgrims who had submitted their applications for Hajj this year would perform the pilgrimage without balloting.
In a recent session, the Economic Coordination Committee of the federal cabinet approved $163 million for Hajj arrangements this year. All 72,869 Hajj applicants will perform Hajj without balloting this year, according to the Ministry’s statement.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar also said that the Religious Affairs Ministry would require additional resources, including foreign exchange, to send more Hajj pilgrims than the fixed quota under the regular scheme.
The extension of the deadline for passport submission is expected to provide relief to many intending pilgrims who were facing difficulties due to various reasons.
The use of the smartphone app for biometric verification is also a significant step towards simplifying the Hajj process and reducing the time and effort required for the pilgrims.
