Hajj 2022: Banks receive 14,247 applications under govt scheme

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony on Wednesday said that the process of submitting applications for the government Hajj scheme through banks is underway and so far 14,247 applications have been received.

In a statement Joint Secretary Hajj Usman Saroush Alvi said that Hajj applications will be received by Friday (May 13), Radio Pakistan reported.

He said Passport, health certificate, Saudi approved vaccine certificate and the token amount must be submitted along with the Hajj application.

The secretary said that details of obligatory Hajj expenses have not been provided by Saudi Arabia yet and complete Hajj expenses will be announced only after receiving the same from Riyadh.

It is to be noted that Saudi Arabia has allotted the second-highest quota of Hajj pilgrims to Pakistan after the Kingdom allowed one million people to perform the holy pilgrimage this year.

Saudi Arabia has allotted the highest quota of Hajj pilgrims to Indonesia, followed by Pakistan. As many as 81,132 pilgrims would be able to travel to the Kingdom to perform Hajj in 2022.

Saudi Arabia has announced to welcome 1 million pilgrims for Hajj this year, following ease in COVID restrictions from the Kingdom.