67,000 Pakistani pilgrims deprived of performing Hajj 2025

ISLAMABAD: Around 67,000 Pakistani pilgrims have been deprived of performing Hajj in 2025 due to delays in agreements and payments to the Saudi government, according to Hajj organisers.

The main reason for the rejection of these applications was the failure to make timely bookings and payments to the Saudi authorities.

Saudi Arabia had allocated a quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Pakistan this year, which included 89,605 spots each for the government and private tour organisers. However, only 14,000 applications were accepted under the private scheme.

Hajj organisers claimed they had made bookings for the 67,000 pilgrims and sent SAR 7 million to Saudi Arabia for these pilgrims.

However, due to delays in finalising agreements and payments, the Saudi authorities rejected their applications, leaving thousands without the chance to perform the pilgrimage.

In response to a special request from the Pakistani government, Saudi Arabia granted an additional 10,000 quotas. However, this was still insufficient to accommodate all the applicants, resulting in the exclusion of 67,000 Pakistani pilgrims.

Hajj organizers have appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to intervene in the matter and help resolve the issue.

Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has directed an immediate inquiry into the reduction of the private Hajj quota, leaving thousands of Pakistani pilgrims unable to perform Hajj 2025.

As per details, the premier has formed a three-member committee to investigate the matter and identify those responsible for the failure to obtain the private Hajj quota in time.

The committee, headed by the Secretary of the Cabinet Division, includes the Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Federal Secretary of Gilgit-Baltistan.

The committee has been tasked with submitting its report within three days, detailing the reasons behind the government’s failure to obtain the private Hajj quota and fixing responsibility for the lapse.