LAHORE: People intending to perform Haj this year will have to submit details of their health status in advance.

The health data, along with credentials of the intending pilgrims, would be forwarded to Saudi Arabia, enabling the Kingdom to make arrangements for their medical care during the Haj, said a religious affairs ministry official on Monday.

The Haj operation will start on Aug 27 and conclude on Nov 8 and Machine Readable International Passport (MRIP) having validity up to April 30, 2015, would be a must for Haj journey. A total of 143,368 Pakistanis would perform Haj this year some 57,000 under the government scheme while another 80,000 or so through private group organisers.

The intending pilgrims would not be given application forms without producing their original computerised national identity card (CNIC) at the designated branches of banks, said the official.