Maulana Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Religious Harmony, stated here on Monday that the Hajj is one of the five major pillars of Islam and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing the best possible facilities for all Pakistani pilgrims travelling there in 2019. Speaking as the conference’s principal guest, Maulana Tahir Ashrafi explained that this year’s Hajj expenditures had significantly decreased as a result of the government’s successful economic and financial policies and the declining value of the dollar. He compared the Hujjaj to Pakistan’s diplomats and encouraged them to adhere completely to Saudi Arabia’s laws and regulations. He stated that Pakistan placed a high value on its long-standing, weather-proof friendship with Saudi Arabia.