Srinagar, May 22: Minister of State for Hajj, Auqaf and Fisheries, Ajaz Ahmed Khan has been assured by the Ministry of External Affairs for operation of direct Hajj flights from Srinagar to Jeddah via New Delhi and vice versa. The assurance came during a conference held in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Minister of External Affairs SM Krishna.
 The Annual Hajj Conference organized by the Hajj Committee of India was attended by the Minister of State for Hajj & Auqaf who placed and discussed various issues related to Hajj Pilgrimage from Jammu and Kashmir in the conference, an official handout said.
 It said the Aijaz requested Krishna for allotment of additional quota of 2000 seats for the state during the current year in addition to already allotted quota of 5604 seats which was agreed in principle by the Ministry.
 The Minister during the discussions laid stress on accommodating J&K pilgrims in single cluster in Makkah and Madina in view of peculiar cultural and food habits, clearance of insurance cases and providing of death certificates to the 15 deceased pilgrims who died during 2011and whereabouts of one missing Hajj pilgrim of 2011. He was assured that the issues raised will be considered positively on priority and accordingly Director Consulate General of India has been directed to provide the requisite death certificates and expedite disposal of insurance cases accordingly.
 The Minister also placed the case of duping of innocent pilgrims by a private operator before the conference and requested that 350 seats be allotted to accommodate the duped pilgrims as a special gesture.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 22 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 22 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 IST