ISLAMABAD - The government has decided to pay a subsidy of over Rs 3.50 billion on Haj this year under government Haj scheme.
This year the Saudi Arabian government has levied five percent tax on Haj services and transport, but the federal government would pay this additional tax instead of taking it from the pilgrims.
In this connection the government would have to pay Rs 32,000 per Haj pilgrim to the Saudi Arabian government.
The sources in Ministry of Religious Affairs told Online that the government has decided to facilitate Haj pilgrims on the occasion of last Haj of present government‘s tenure.
The Saudi Arabian government has demanded tax at the rate of Rs 50,000 from each Pakistani Haji but after negotiations on the subject, the matter is settled down on Rs 32,000 per pilgrim.
The sources said that during a briefing on Haj arrangements, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had ordered Ministry of Religious Affairs to pay the tax as a subsidy on official Haj scheme.
If 67 percent of Pakistani Hajis would go under government Haj scheme, then the government has to pay Rs 3.84 billion as subsidy. The Ministry gave the proposal to increase the cost of Haj due to extra tax imposed by Saudi Arabian government and increase in the dollar price in open market, but it was turned down.