Cairo: Saudi Arabia is ready to host Haj once again from Monday. But due to global inflation and the economic crisis, it has become difficult for many Haj pilgrims to go on the religious journey of Islam. Mohammed, a university professor in Egypt’s capital Cairo, said he applies for Haj every year. But this time he is not applying. He said, “He usually used to save money by cutting down on daily expenses in order to raise money for Haj. But this year it was difficult to do so due to inflation.
Rising family expenses and a hike in Haj package prices made it difficult for them to perform Haj this year. Given the sensitivity associated with talking about Egypt’s economic problems, Mohammed asked not to use his surname for fear of retribution. Hajj prices have increased due to global inflation, which includes the cost of accommodation, air travel, transportation, and food in and around the holy city of Mecca.
Pakistan has been unable to meet its Haj quota this year, facing the brunt of rising inflation and falling currency. Abdul Majeed, a government employee in Rawalpindi, said he had been saving money for Haj, “but now I am not going to Haj. There is a huge difference between the money saved and the cost of Haj pilgrimage, which I cannot meet”. Significantly, due to the Covid-19 epidemic, Haj was completely banned in the year 2020 and 2021, while last year a small number of people were allowed for Haj.
