A Pakistan Haj delegation led by Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah, Federal Minister for Haj and Religious Affairs, called on Saudi Haj Minister Fuad Abdulsalam Al-Farsy to discuss the arrangements for the forthcoming pilgrimage. Khursheed Shah said that the services of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, to Haj and Umrah performers were laudable. The meeting discussed issues relating to transport, passport, accommodation in Makkah and Madina and services especially the provision of medical facilities to pilgrims. The meeting was also attended by the Ambassador Admiral (Retd) Shahid Karimullah, Secretary Haj Wakil Ahmad Khan and others. PRC proposal Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) formally submitted a memorandum to Khurshid Shah during a meeting after the reception organized by Pakistan Peoples Community in Jeddah. Upon his query the members of the delegation clarified that PRC has submitted a proposal for the repatriation and rehabilitation of stranded Pakistanis on self-finance basis, which is based on issuance of passports initially to the male members of stranded families and seeking employment in the Kingdom and other Gulf countries. They also recommended building housing project in free allocated land in Punjab by national and international banks. Once these employees acquire house and buy tickets for their families, passports should be issued to stranded families who would travel to their homes in Punjab under the plan of Rabita Trust which PRC request to be reactivated and asked to include Bangladesh in it. The minister promised that he would review the proposal and give sympathetic consideration. The delegation included Syed Ehsanul Haque, Hamid Islam Khan accompanied by Riaz Bukhari, Tasawwar Choudhry, President and General Secretary of Pakistan Peoples Community, Engr. Aziz Ahmed, general secretary of Pakistan Engineers Society.
