During a National Assembly (NA) session, Senator Talha Mahmood, the Minister for Religious Affairs, reassured members that Pakistan government officials involved in corruption during Hajj would be subjected to Shariah and Saudi law.
In response to a point raised by MNA Shagufta Jumani, the minister reiterated his commitment to maintaining transparency throughout the whole Hajj operation.
He had worked for two months to organize the Hajj project and had paid for his expenditures out of pocket, such as airline and hotel accommodations, during official visits to ensure the smooth operation of the program.
The minister also pointed out that the government would have to pay $24 million to Saudi Arabia if the quota of 8,000 persons was not delivered on time due to a lack of applications. Despite this, the government was still accepting applications.
In terms of organizing special planes for Members of Parliament, their families, and other VVIPs, the minister stated that they would not receive VIP treatment and would have to stay in the same hotel as other pilgrims. He agreed to set up meetings with airlines but emphasized that Pakistani officials would not be catering to VVIPs.
Furthermore, he stressed that there will be no free Hajj and that he was obtaining pilgrim buildings at a lower cost than in 2019. He even offered to submit a comparison to back up his claim later.
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