Religious ritual, and Hajj business

The Caretaker Federal Minister for Religious Affairs has recently informed the nation about a significant reduction of Rs. 0.1 million in government Hajj expenses without compromising facilities being provided to the Hujjaj during this holy journey to Makkah and Madina. According to the interim ruler, each male pilgrim will receive a 30kg suitcase, and every female pilgrim will be given scarves (Abaya) featuring the national flag, a first-time incentive being extended by the Ministry of Religious Affairs for unknown reasons. The government has introduced a 20-day short Hajj package, striving to make Hajj more financially accessible to poor masses.

Hajj is the fifth and most important element of Islam, which is a compulsory religious obligation for wealthy and affluent Muslims. The poor and people with meager income have been awarded waivers from Hajj and Humra. However, every Muslim man and woman always has an undying quest to perform hajj/umrah and visit Islamic holy sites in Hijaz-e-Muqaddas once in life. The poor masses save money throughout their life to perform this important religious ritual but the anti-public policies of the rulers, business cartels and religious tourism industries at home and abroad made it almost impossible for the poor masses to visit holy Muslim sites.

Realistically, performing Hajj was the most difficult religious ritual throughout history because of the involvement of money, together with a long, difficult and risky journey to Makkah from across the world including the Indo-Subcontinent. However, the recent wave of inflation, coupled with global energy crisis and war in Ukraine raised the prices of fuel, airlines fares, boarding and lodging expenses which seriously affected the Pakistani Hajjaj, as the Hajj expenses rose from a few hundred thousands to over one million in the past years.

The incumbent interim leaders are endeavoring hard to make Hajj less burdensome for the common people, even then it is unaffordable for the common man. Currently, Hajj fee and air fares are the biggest heads in Hajj expenditures. If the government works out to move Pakistani Hajjaj through land routes via ECO nations or through ships it would significantly reduce the Hajj expenses. The Frontier Post has fulfilled its traditional role of lucifer (light bearer), while the leaders’ legacy would be evident after the Hajj season ends.