Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor said on Saturday that work on the Hajj quota for the members and workers of the chambers of commerce and industry was well under way.
He disclosed this in a meeting with businessmen here at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), where LCCI President Kashif Anwar highlighted various issues being faced by the Hajj and Umrah operators. Lahore Chamber’s Senior Vice President Chaudhry Zafar Mahmood, Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Chairman Habib-ur-Rehman Gilani and Convener LCCI Standing Committee Abdul Jabbar Anjum also spoke. The federal minister said that the ministry would soon find a way for Hajj and Umrah quota system for the LCCI members and staff. “Our relations with the business community are very close to our heart,” he said and added that all suggestions and demands, presented by the LCCI, would be forwarded to the platforms concerned. He said that the suggestions related to Ministry of Religious Affairs should be forwarded in writing so that these could be resolved as soon as possible.
He said that Islamic economic system was based on welfare of humanity. The business in a right way is also worship and the ranks of righteous businessmen are high in Islam, he added. He promised to take up all Hajj related matters with Saudi authorities in consultation with 65 ministers of Muslim countries. LCCI President Kashif Anwar said that keeping in view the current economic situation, there is an urgent need for amnesty scheme so that the dollars, that people have in Pakistan but not declared, could be circulated in economy. By encouraging people through amnesty scheme, the government could bring a lot of foreign exchange into the country. He requested the federal minister to raise this proposal in the National Assembly. Kashif Anwar said that there was a dire need to revamp the system of monitoring of private Hajj organisers.
