Baghdad: The Sadiqun parliamentary bloc has announced its support for a new proposal to eliminate the requirement for winners of the Hajj lottery to pay Hajj fees upfront.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, MP Habib al-Halawi shared that there is an initiative to refund the amount paid in advance by those who secure a spot in the Hajj lottery, which amounts to approximately 5.9 million dinars. Al-Halawi pointed out that there is no legal justification for collecting these funds in advance and retaining them within the Hajj and Umrah Commission until 2028.

He further elaborated that the Parliament intends to take all necessary legislative and legal actions to establish a resolution allowing lottery winners to pay the full Hajj fee in the year they travel to perform the pilgrimage. Al-Halawi confirmed that signatures have been gathered to request the return of these funds, with a plan to reimburse them during the same Hajj season to those who have won the lottery. Meetings with officials at the Hajj and Umrah Authority have been planned to facilitate approval of this proposal in upcoming sessions.