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Hajj expenses to be collected in dollars next year: minister

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  • Minister says 160,000 Pakistani pilgrims performed Hajj this year.
  • Saudi govt made excellent arrangements for pilgrims, says minister.
  • President Alvi’s Hajj had nothing to do with ministry: minister.

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs Talha Mahmood has announced that all expenses of Hajj will be collected in US dollars from next year, The News reported Monday.

Furthermore, addressing a post-Hajj press conference, Mahmood congratulated the 160,000 Pakistani pilgrims on performing Hajj.

Praising the efforts of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, he also said no untoward incident was reported during Hajj this year in Jamarat, the place where people pelt stones. 

Most of the pilgrims seemed satisfied with the arrangements, he noted.

Moreover, during the presser, Mahmood said he had brought the Hajj quota to over 179,000 for the next year. 

“However, Haji expenses will be collected in US dollars not in Pakistani rupees,” he said.

The minister said the Saudi government made excellent arrangements on the occasion of Hajj, and he himself visited hotels of Pakistani haajis (pilgrims). 

The Pakistani mission provided maximum assistance to Pakistanis during Hajj, he said.

Senator Mehmood added that he was offered to perform Hajj as a guest of the state, but he preferred to perform Hajj as a “common man”. 

He had discussed the problems of Hajj pilgrims with the Saudi minister, who assured him of solving the problems in the future.

The religious minister said he did not allow anyone to perform free-of-cost Hajj and will not allow it in the future. 

He said he had paid his Hajj expenses as a minister, remained with other Pakistani Haajis, and performed Hajj.

While answering a question, Mahmood said he had no knowledge of how many people performed Hajj with President Arif Alvi as the president’s Hajj had nothing to do with his ministry.

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Over Pakistan, Rain and Snowfall Are Expected Over the Next Three Days

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As a succession of westerly winds sweep into the upper areas of Pakistan, rain is expected to fall during the following three days.

The Meteorological Department forecasts snowfall in mountainous regions and rainfall in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. There will be rain in Balochistan and the Punjabi plains, including Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

In addition, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Upper Punjab, Islamabad, and Northeastern Balochistan are scheduled to see strong winds, thunderstorms, and partly overcast weather during the course of the next day.

Since last month, there has been mild to severe haze in some portions of the country’s upper regions. The capital of Punjab, Lahore, as well as cities like Multan and Sialkot, are among the areas most severely impacted by dense fog.

Other regions of the nation will see dry weather in the interim. It is anticipated that most of Punjab will see morning smog and fog, which will eventually dissipate by nightfall.

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Business

Dar chairs the CCOP meeting; Blue World’s bid offer of Rs.10 billion is rejected.

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The Foreign Minister/Deputy Prime Minister chaired the Cabinet Committee on Privatization meeting.

Other committee members who attended the conference included the Federal Secretaries of several Divisions, the Ministers of Finance and Revenue, Industry and Food, Commerce, Power, and Privatization.

The CCOP took the PC Board’s recommendation into consideration and suggested that Blue World’s bid of 10 billion rupees for the sale of 60% of PIACL’s shares be rejected. The bid was rejected by the CCOP, who chose to follow the PC Board’s advice.

The government’s determination to sell out PIACL through government-to-government or privatization was reaffirmed by the CCOP.

The CCOP was pleased with the Aviation Division’s evaluation of PIACL’s sound financial standing.

Additionally, the CCOP established a committee, chaired by the Minister of State for Finance, to assess potential transaction possibilities for the privatization of the Roosevelt Hotel and the appropriate modes of adoption in light of existing legal rules.

Prior to its subsequent meeting, the CCOP also ordered that all difficulties be resolved and an agreement for the selling of services to an international hotel be concluded.

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Combating Terrorism: Twelve Terrorists Destroyed in Separate Operations by Security Forces

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Eleven terrorists and Kharijis were killed in two separate intelligence-based operations in Balochistan’s Miran Shah District and North Waziristan. One of the victims was Sana Alias Baru, a high-value target.

In the vicinity of Miran Shah in North Waziristan, security forces successfully fought the Khwarij, leading to the death of eight and injury of six.

The general region of Balgatar, Kech District, Balochistan was earlier the scene of an Intelligence-Based Operation that resulted in the deaths of four terrorists, one of them was a high-value target.

Authorities in Kech District were actively seeking Baru, who had a pivotal role in recruiting members of the so-called Majeed Brigade, particularly suicide bombers.

Among the terrorists’ possessions were weapons and ammo.

In order to eradicate any lingering terrorists in the vicinity, a sanitation operation is currently under progress.

With unwavering resolve, the Pakistani security forces will eradicate the terrorist threat from the nation.

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