Soon after announcement of Hajj Package by the religious affairs minister on Tuesday, Prime Minister Imran Khan rejected the Rs105,000 increase in the Hajj cost and said he would not let the authorities charge pilgrims this amount in any case.

The prime minister said there would be only Rs20,000 to Rs25,000 increase in the Hajj cost.

Earlier, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Noor-ul-Haq Qadri said that Pakistan’s Hajj quota this year is 179,210. He said the government will use 60 percent of this quota and the private sector 40 percent. He said that Hajj pilgrims from northern areas will be charged Rs490,000 and those from southern parts of the country will be charged Rs480,000. He cited increase in airfare and appreciation of dollar as reasons for increase in the cost of Hajj. He said the government will try to cut this cost as much as possible. He said that 2,000 people above 70 years of age will go to Hajj without balloting. Earlier, this facility was available to people above 80.