ISLAMABAD, Apr 28 (APP):Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has asked private Hajj Group Organisers ( HGOs) to keep at least five percent of their total Hajj packages at par with government scheme package.
An official of the Ministry told APP that Hajj quota would only be distributed among the HGOs on confirmation of accepting the condition of keeping five percent of their total packages to Rs 456,000.
He said the Ministry has also updated the monitoring mechanism to regulate private package of Hajj Group Organisers (HGOs) to ensure economy.
According to him, the existing Monitoring Section in the ministry has been equipped to keep private packages under strict vigil.
Each HGO is bound to sign an agreement with an individual Haji regarding the facilities being offered in the package.
He said the Ministry will act as sole arbitrator and decision of the Ministry will be final in case of any dispute between the service provider and the Haji(s).
He said the Ministry has launched a short message service (SMS) to help saving private Hajj pilgrims from fictitious Hajj Group Organising companies’ (HGOs).
The intending private pilgrim should send the first four digits of that particular HGO’s enrollment number from his mobile phone to 8331 to check its legal status.
The pilgrim would promptly receive a reply, containing details about the enrollment status of that HGO, name of its chief executive, its allotted quota and address.
The quota status of any HGO could also be confirmed from the ministry’s relevant department by contacting through a phone call on official numbers.
The ministry accepts no responsibility for any fraud with the intending pilgrim, who ink an agreement with any HGO or travel agent without checking the enrollment status and allotted Hajj quota of his relevant HGOs.
