WORLD NEWS | Pakistanis struggle with hajj pilgrimage as inflation surges

Islamabad [Pakistan]April 28 (ANI): Pakistani people are starting to face difficulties in pilgrimage amid rising inflation and shortage of foreign exchange reserves, Pakistani vernacular media reported.

Pilgrim quotas are now the first in Pakistan’s history, but fewer people are making the pilgrimage. Due to inflation and a lack of dollars, most Pakistanis cannot make the pilgrimage.

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Pakistan’s vernacular media, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, said the remaining pilgrimage quota would be returned to Saudi Arabia, Qudrat reported.

The Federal Cabinet will make the final decision on the repayment of Hajj quotas. The pilgrimage has reportedly become so expensive that many Pakistanis have been unable to attend.

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According to a report by The Express, the Pakistani government has been implementing measures such as fuel and electricity tariff hikes, removal of subsidies, market exchange rates and higher taxes under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program to tackle the fiscal deficit. These actions could lead to slower economic growth and higher inflation in the coming months.

Pakistan continues to grapple with economic challenges amid a shortage of foreign exchange reserves, with citizens finding it difficult to purchase daily essentials such as flour, oil and gas.

While daily necessities such as gas, electricity, petrol and flour have become increasingly difficult to obtain or prohibitively expensive for ordinary people to purchase, the Pakistan Democracy Movement (PDM) government has paid little attention to the plight of the people, Pakistan’s vernacular media reported.

The Express Tribune recently reported that burgeoning inflation and a deepening cost of living crisis are making it difficult for millions of people across Pakistan to make ends meet. (Arnie)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)