ISLAMABAD: Due to delays in the agreement and payments to the Saudi government, approximately 67,000 Pakistani pilgrims will not be able to go for Hajj in 2025.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs had allocated a total quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Pakistan for the Hajj season – 89,605 spots each for the government and private tour operators.
Only 14,000 applications were accepted under the private scheme, even though Hajj organizers failed to make timely bookings and payments.
Although the Saudi Ministry of Hajj for 67,000 pilgrims had sent SAR 7 million to Saudi Arabia, they had rejected them because of the delay in payment and agreement finalization.
In response to the Pakistan government’s special request, Saudi Arabia granted an additional 10,000 quotas; however, this still did not cover the substantial number of applicants.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed an inquiry into the reduction of possible private Hajj quotas.
Accordingly, a three-member committee was constituted to carry out the inquiry and name those responsible for the lack of foresight, committee headed by the Secretary of the Cabinet Division, includes the Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue, the Federal Secretary of Gilgit-Baltistan, and must provide their report within three days.
The committee will identify the reasons for the government’s failure to acquire the private Hajj quota on time and assign responsibility for the lapse.
Hajj organizers have requested the Prime Minister‘s intervention to help them fix the issue, which has left thousands of pilgrims disappointed.
