The National Assembly Standing Committee on Religious Affairs, chaired by Aamir Dogar, held a meeting to discuss various religious affairs, including pilgrimage, Hajj, and Umrah.
The committee chairman asked the ministry officials if the number of pilgrims exchanged between Pakistan and India was equal. He directed the Ministry of Religious Affairs to investigate the disparity and provide a detailed report in the next meeting.
The ministry's Additional Secretary Dr Attaur Rehman assured the committee that Pakistani pilgrims are thoroughly vetted before being granted visas for India. "We received 3,400 visa applications and 3,200 of them were granted visas," he said, adding that despite issuing a significant number of visas, not all pilgrims made the journey.
Dr Rehman emphasized the need for both governments to collaborate and increase the overall quota for pilgrims to foster better religious ties between the two nations. "We wish the number of pilgrims and Sikh yatrees to increase," he remarked, adding that only the governments of both countries can do this.
The committee chairman also discussed the potential of sending more pilgrims to India through religious tourism. Chairman Dogar highlighted the interest of overseas Sikh pilgrims in visiting historical sites in Pakistan. He suggested that by facilitating religious tourism, Pakistan could attract foreign exchange and strengthen its international image.
The meeting also touched upon the issue of Hajj expenses. The Hajj joint secretary informed the committee that due to instalment-based payments, 2,000 applications had been received for the pilgrimage on the first day. He also said that private tour operators can't take less than 2,000 pilgrims, adding that priority would be given to those going on Hajj for the first time.
Regarding concerns about beggars during pilgrimage, the official said pilgrims going for Umrah resort to begging, adding that raids were conducted on this practice in collaboration with the FIA.
