Only 23,620 pilgrims will be allowed to perform Haj under the private Haj scheme, according to a notification issued by the religious affairs ministry on Thursday.
Haj, one of the fundamental pillars of Islam, is performed each year by millions of Muslims worldwide. Pakistan receives one of the highest Haj quotas from Saudi Arabia.
In January, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the annual Haj agreement, under which 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims were allowed to perform Haj this year. Pakistan’s religious ministry has said that around 90,000 people would perform Haj under the government’s scheme, state-owned Radio Pakistan reported on April 6.
According to Thursday’s notification, only 23,620 pilgrims will be permitted to perform Haj under the private scheme, despite the quota of over 179,000 pilgrims.
“The list of service providers providing services with the Haj 2025 quota has been updated on the website of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony and the Pak Hajj App [sic],” the notification read.
“All such pilgrims, who have made billing with registered service providers, can check the status of their application and contract on the ministry’s website,” it added.
Service providers were urged to give updated Haj forms to pilgrims and to ensure that their visas are approved by April 18 (Friday), per directives issued by the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah.
A second notification from the ministry outlined the requirements for pilgrims, including mandatory vaccinations and information about Haj camps set up across Pakistan.
“Temporary Haj camps [at] Hyderabad, Sialkot, Faisalabad and Rahim Yar Khan will be open for a few specific days, which will be informed on the Hajj Mobile App,” the second notice read.
“Two days before the flight, Haj pilgrims … will receive [a] Haj visa, air ticket, identity locket, identity data sheet to be attached to the bag and a free Zong SIM for use in Saudi Arabia from the respective Haj camps,” it added.
More to follow.
