‘Number of applications received were less than allocated quota, no draw of lots to take place this year’
SRINAGAR: The authorities on Monday said that over 8000 aspirants from across Jammu & Kashmir will be leaving for performing Hajj 2024 soon, saying that the applications of few aspirants having expired passports have been rejected.
Sharing details about this year’s annual Hajj pilgrimage, the executive officer of J&K Haj committee, Dr. Shujaat Ahmad Qureshi, speaking to the media in Haj House Bemina, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said around 8,017 Hajj pilgrims have been selected from Jammu and Kashmir.
He said some of the pilgrims had provided expired passports and were consequently rejected, while only 8,017 applications were accepted, who secured a spot for the annual Hajj-2024.
Regarding the Hajj quota, Dr. Qureshi said that there is a specific quota of 6,838 for Jammu and Kashmir, with an additional 2,000 as a special quota given, comprising a total of quota of 8,838. He added that this year, they received less applications than the quota.
“Now, the next step is the publication of the selection list and the message generation for pilgrims whose names have been added to the provisional selection list, after which they will have to submit the first instalment,” said Dr Qureshi.
He said that, “this year, a total of 155,000 Hajj pilgrims are scheduled to leave from India.” He added that the notification about the first instalment will be out in two to three days, and pilgrims have to prepare themselves for Hajj 2024.