Islamabad: The Ministry of Religious Affairs has announced that only 23,620 pilgrims will be able to perform Hajj under the private Hajj scheme this year.
This is part of a notification issued on Thursday, which clarified the limitations on the number of pilgrims allowed to travel privately, despite Pakistan receiving a significant Hajj quota from Saudi Arabia.
Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, sees millions of Muslims from around the world travel to Mecca each year.
Pakistan, in particular, is one of the countries with the largest allocation of pilgrim slots from Saudi Arabia.
According to the annual Hajj agreement signed in January, Pakistan’s total quota for this year was set at 179,210 pilgrims.
Of these, the government’s scheme will cover around 90,000 pilgrims, as reported by Radio Pakistan on April 6.
The notification from the Ministry of Religious Affairs indicated that only 23,620 pilgrims would be allowed to go through the private scheme.
This figure is notably smaller than the overall quota, leaving many aspiring pilgrims without an opportunity to travel privately.
In response to this, the Ministry has updated the list of service providers available for the 2025 Hajj quota, and these updates can be accessed through the official website of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Pak Hajj App.
The Ministry has also instructed pilgrims who have made arrangements with registered service providers to check the status of their applications and contracts on these platforms.
Additionally, the Ministry has urged service providers to ensure pilgrims receive the latest Hajj forms and meet the required deadline for visa approval by April 18, as mandated by Saudi authorities.
In another notification, the Ministry outlined several important details for pilgrims, including mandatory vaccinations and the establishment of temporary Hajj camps in various Pakistani cities.
These camps, located in Hyderabad, Sialkot, Faisalabad, and Rahim Yar Khan, will operate on specific days, and these dates will be communicated through the Hajj Mobile App.
Read More: 67,000 Pakistani Pilgrims at Risk of Missing Hajj 2025
Pilgrims are expected to receive essential items such as their Hajj visas, air tickets, identity locket, and identity data sheets just two days before their flight.
They will also receive a free Zong SIM card for communication during their stay in Saudi Arabia.
However, during a meeting of the Senate Committee on Religious Affairs, concerns were raised about the fate of approximately 67,000 pilgrims who will not be able to perform Hajj due to the limited slots available under the private scheme.
Senator Attaur Rehman, who chaired the meeting, quoted the Secretary of Religious Affairs as stating that Pakistan had been allocated a total of 10,000 private Hajj slots, with no possibility of increasing that number.
As a result, 67,000 potential pilgrims will be unable to make the journey.
Also Read: Saudi Arabia Unveils Cooling Projects for Hajj Pilgrims
In light of this issue, the Committee has recommended sending a letter to the Prime Minister, urging him to address the concerns and schedule a meeting to discuss potential solutions. Story by Ahmed Mukhtar.
