ISLAMABAD: Balloting of Hajj applications under government scheme will be held tomorrow in Islamabad.
Communications Minister Asad Mehmood and Minister for Housing Molana Abdul Wasay will be chief guests of the balloting ceremony.
On Friday Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony had announced that 57,593 applications for the Government Hajj Scheme through banks had been received. Friday was the last date for submitting the applications.
Government had announced that there would be no extension in the deadline due to time constraints.
The ministry’s spokesperson Muhammad Umar Butt had told the media that the bank officials would complete online data entry and verification of the Hajj applications on Saturday.
The spokesperson said for the convenience of overseas Pakistanis, the last date for submission of passports was Zu al-Qadah 20.
Umar Butt said the ministry had launched the ‘Hajj Helpline’ with landline numbers – 051 9205696 and 051 9216980-82 to facilitate and guide the pilgrims, who could also get guidance from the official WhatsApp number 0306 3332555 via the short messaging service (SMS).
It may be mentioned that personal smart phones are mandatory for the pilgrims, who will have to download two approved mobile applications Tawakkalna and Eatmarna as per the instructions of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Ummah.
The Saudi authorities have launched the two mobile app services to facilitate the overseas pilgrims for performing Umrah and Hajj, and to obtain visit permits for the Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madina.
