Cabinet decides to keep sponsorship Hajj Policy intact

Islamabad: The Federal Cabinet has refuted the impression that only Afghans residing illegally are being repatriated from the country.

Briefing media about the decisions taken by the Federal Cabinet, which met in Islamabad today with Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar in the chair, Caretaker Interior Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti said that about two hundred thousand Afghans have been repatriated till now.

He said the repatriated people can reenter in Pakistan after the proper documentation.

Speaking on the occasion, Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi said data is being prepared for the repatriation of illegal residents in the country.

He said under our repatriation policy, illegal Afghan residents will be kept in holding centers, nearest to their home stations, for two to three days from where they will leave to their own country.

He said all kind of facilities, including medical, are being ensured to these holding centers. He said to monitor the whole process, a special system is being introduced. He said in this regard, Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has already accorded approval to a work plan.

Murtaza Solangi said the interim government has no political agenda and it is doing the work under constitutional domain.

He categorically rejected the news regarding a political meeting with Shafqat Mehmood.

Caretaker Health Minister Dr. Nadeem Jan said Primary Health Care Revamp Project has been started with the major focus of revamping Basic Health Units deteriorated due to militancy and floods.

Responding to a question, he said all recruitments in hospitals will be made on merit. Highlighting the steps taken to upgrade the Health sector of country, he said insulators have been installed in the hospitals coupled with the MRI machines.

To a question, Additional Secretary Religious Affairs Ministry Syed Ata-ur-Rehman informed that the pending amount of 5.5 billion rupees will be disbursed to PIA today. He said under the proposed Hajj policy, the sponsorship hajj will remain intact. He said under this scheme around 25000 people will perform hajj through government scheme while 44000 people will be accommodated from the private hajj scheme.