‘Asked pvt firms to take 10K more Hajis’: Naqvi

The quota for Indian Haj pilgrims was increased by 25,000 earlier this year.

Minority Affairs Ministry Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday announced that they have asked private tour operators (PTOs) to accommodate 10,000 additional Haj pilgrims, at the same prices as offered by the Haj Committee of India (HCOI). However, PTOs have refused to do so, saying they will write a letter to the ministry to this effect.

Minority Affairs Ministry Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday announced that they have asked private tour operators (PTOs) to accommodate 10,000 additional Haj pilgrims. (HTfilephoto)

The quota for Indian Haj pilgrims was increased by 25,000 earlier this year. While HCOI agreed to accommodate 15,000 pilgrims, the additional 10,000 should be accommodated by PTOs, the ministry said.

PTOs said last-minute additions would lead to operational difficulties. “If more people are added a month before the departure, we won’t be able to accommodate them. We don’t approve this decision and will submit a letter to the ministry’s joint secretary,” said Zafar Jamal of Federation Haj PTOs of India.

Around 2 lakh pilgrims will leave for Haj on July 14 from 21 embarkation points across the country.

Of these, HCOI will accommodate 1.4 lakh pilgrims, while Haj Group Operators will accommodate the rest.