Making Road to Makkah Accessible for Pakistanis: Proposed Model from the Experience of Indonesia and Malaysia
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Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is mandatory for every Muslim adult. For the management of Hajj funds, several countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Maldives have established separate legal entities to provide services to pilgrims and administer their Hajj deposits, simultaneously benefiting from them in the shape of halal returns. This paper aims to evaluate the Hajj fund management of two countries, namely Indonesia and Malaysia, in comparison to the current structure of the management of Hajj funds in Pakistan. The study proposes an efficient model for Pakistan’s Hajj fund management based on the best practices of Indonesia and Malaysia. It argues the setting up of an independent entity, whereby individuals may start saving at an early age by entering into a financial contract. Thus, efficient utilization of Hajj funds can be ensured, providing optimum facilitation to the potential pilgrims of Pakistan at a reasonable cost.
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