NA body seeks relief for Arbaeen pilgrims over high airfares

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony on Wednesday observed that some international airlines were offering airfares approximately Rs. 1,00,000 lower per passenger than those charged by national carriers for pilgrims travelling to Najaf Sharif to participate in the Arbaeen Walk

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Jul, 2026) The National Assembly Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony on Wednesday observed that some international airlines were offering airfares approximately Rs. 1,00,000 lower per passenger than those charged by national carriers for pilgrims travelling to Najaf Sharif to participate in the Arbaeen Walk.

The committee chair directed the Ministry of Religious Affairs to take notice of the matter, coordinate with the relevant ministry and the national airline, and take appropriate measures to provide relief to Zaireen.

The committee met here at Parliament House under the chairpersonship of Shagufta Jumani.

The Committee also observed that insufficient development funds were being allocated to minority parliamentarians against their development schemes. The Committee recommended a substantial enhancement in development funds for Parliamentarians belonging to minority communities.

The Committee further directed the Ministry to provide a comprehensive briefing on the ETB and the Minority Development Fund. The Committee reviewed the performance of Hajj Operation 2026 and the preparations for Hajj 2027.

The minister updated the Committee on the successful conduct of Hajj Operation 2026 and informed the members that the Prime Minister held several meetings and took a personal interest in facilitating the guests of Allah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

He stated that the percentage of complaints received from pilgrims was significantly lower compared to previous years, and the Ministry's arrangements during the Hajj operation were widely appreciated.

The Federal Minister of Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousuf further informed the Committee that, for Hajj 2027, a record number of more than 3,00,000 registrations had been received, reflecting the nation's confidence in and support for the Government Hajj Scheme.

The Committee received a comprehensive briefing from the Director General Hajj (KSA), who informed members that approximately 119,000 Pakistani pilgrims performed Hajj under the Government Hajj Scheme.

It was further informed that Pakistan's Hajj Mission received the Labbaytum Excellence Award from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the second consecutive year in recognition of its high standards of service delivery.

The Ministry also highlighted the successful deployment of digital management systems, including M-HOMS and real-time monitoring dashboards, which contributed to improved operational efficiency and a significant reduction in pilgrims' complaints.

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While appreciating the overall success of the Hajj operation, the Chairperson and Members emphasized the need to address operational shortcomings relating to accommodation, transportation, procurement timelines, and coordination with the Saudi authorities.

The Committee expressed concern over inadequate planning that resulted in the scattered allocation of accommodation buildings, inconsistencies in the categorization of buildings, the provision of substandard food by blacklisted catering companies, and significant mismanagement of return flights, which drew widespread criticism on social media.

The Committee stressed that continuous reforms and improved planning were essential to further enhance services for Pakistani pilgrims.

The Committee also expressed displeasure over the award of the contract to Al-Rajeh instead of ensuring a transparent selection process in accordance with PPRA rules.

The Committee recommended that the Ministry should constitute an efficient Hajj Procurement Committee to facilitate the timely procurement of accommodation and camps in accordance with Saudi timelines.

It further recommended the introduction of a transparent accommodation allocation system to minimize the separation of families and flight groups, strengthen the accountability of accommodation, catering, and transport service providers through robust performance standards, expand digital monitoring and complaint management systems, and maintain close coordination with the Saudi authorities to resolve operational issues well before the commencement of future Hajj operations.

The Committee recommended the restoration of a high-level supervisory committee for pre- and post-Hajj monitoring.

It also recommended that the new Hajj Policy be presented before the Standing Committee for consideration and input from elected representatives prior to its approval by the Cabinet.

The Committee confirmed the minutes of its previous meeting held on February 26.

The meeting was also attended by Members National Assembly (MNAs)Asiya Naz Tanoli, Shahnaz Saleem Malik, Muneeba Iqbal, Neelam, Dr. Nelson Azeem, Pir Syed Fazal Ali Shah Jillani, Musarrat Rafique Mahesar, Samina Khalid Ghurki (via Zoom), Ahmed Saleem Siddiqui, Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq, and Naeema Kishwar Khan.