ISLAMABAD: A serious crisis is developing in Pakistan’s Hajj pilgrimage preparations, with approximately 67,000 Pakistani pilgrims on the verge of losing this religious journey for 2025 due to the delays and mismanagement on the part of private tour operators.
The issue has also resulted in PKR 36 billion, collected from pilgrims, being stuck in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government has reportedly refused to provide refunds, instead offering to adjust the funds for next year’s pilgrimage.
The root cause of the problem lies in the delayed approval of Pakistan’s Hajj Policy 2025, which prevented private operators from submitting their applications on time.
Although the funds were transferred to Saudi Arabia, the insufficient time and lack of coordination with Saudi authorities led to incomplete preparations. Furthermore, the Ministry of Religious Affairs reported that some private companies obtained court injunctions, stalling the allocation of the private Hajj quota.
As a result, only 23,620 pilgrims will be able to perform Hajj 2025 under the private scheme, a significant drop from the usual 90,000 Pakistanis who undertake the pilgrimage annually through private operators.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs has issued guidelines for the Private Hajj Scheme 2025, urging approved operators to ensure visa issuance by April 18 and submit copies of service agreements as per the newly allocated quota.
To ensure a smooth experience for pilgrims, the ministry has published an updated list of authorized operators on its official website and the Pak Hajj mobile app. Pilgrims can check the status of their applications and services offered through these platforms.
The ministry advises private pilgrims to use the Pak Hajj 2025 mobile app for real-time updates and service tracking, promoting transparency and efficiency in the Hajj process.
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