Over 67,000 Pakistanis 'risk' missing Hajj 2025

ISLAMABAD: Approximately 67,000 Pakistani pilgrims risk miss Hajj this year due to delays and mismanagement by private tour operators, ARY News reported citing sources.

According to sources, the crisis has also left PKR 36 billion, collected from pilgrims, stuck in Saudi Arabia, with the Saudi government reportedly refusing refunds and instead offering to adjust the funds for next year’s pilgrimage.

Sources revealed that the delay in approving Pakistan’s Hajj Policy 2025 prevented private operators from submitting applications on time. Although the funds were transferred to Saudi Arabia, insufficient time and failure to coordinate timely arrangements with Saudi authorities led to incomplete preparations.

The lack of prompt communication and coordination with the Saudi government further exacerbated the issues, sources added.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs reported that some private companies obtained court injunctions, which stalled 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 this year, a significant drop from the usual 90,000 Pakistanis who undertake the pilgrimage annually through private operators.

It is important to mention here that the Pakistan government issued key directives for the private operators for Hajj 2025

A total of 23,620 Pakistani pilgrims will perform Hajj 2025 under the private scheme.

According to details, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has issued guidelines regarding the Private Hajj Scheme 2025, urging all approved Hajj operators to ensure visa issuance by April 18.

The ministry asked the private operators to immediately submit copies of service agreements as per the newly allocated quota.

The ministry further announced that the updated list of authorized operators has been published on the official website and the Pak Hajj mobile app.

Pilgrims can check the status of their applications and the services being offered through these platforms.

Private pilgrims are strongly advised to use the Pak Hajj 2025 mobile app for real-time updates and service tracking to ensure a smooth and transparent experience.