City Reporter
The Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Public Issues Committee director Abu-Bakr Usman has said that increasing price of government Hajj package would create problems for low income masses and only benefit the private Hajj operators who have already made this sacred obligation a profitable trade. In a statement on Sunday, he said the government and its ministry of religious affairs keep the Hajj fees obtained from pilgrims in commercial banks to get interest on this money, which is an un-Islamic practice and must be stopped. He said recovering Hajj fees six months before and keeping it in banks has irked citizens. He said how the government would compensate the affected citizens. He said that interest is against the basic principles of Islam, and religious obligation of Hajj should not be involved in interest-based acts. The PDP leader said that the interest-based loans of IMF and World Bank have devastated Pakistani economy and the ministry of religious affairs should not involve it in any interest-based activity. He said the government Hajj package should be based on no profit-no loss principle. He said instead of recovering Hajj fees six months ago, they should be recovered two months prior to Hajj date. He said getting interest frm Hajj fees and using it as so-called government welfare of Hajjis is a fraud. He said the valuation of Pakistan rupees is same as its valuation last year and it is not understandable why this year Hajj fees are being increased. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan has recently taken notice of price hike.
