Mandatory Hajj training sessions to begin across Pakistan from Jan 1: Religious Affairs Ministry

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs has decided to launch a training program for Hajj pilgrims starting January 1, ARY News reported.

The decision was made during a meeting of the Nisab Committee for Hajj Training held at the ministry in Islamabad.

Participation in the one-day training program has been declared mandatory.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs emphasized that all pilgrims must attend the sessions according to the provided schedule.

The Ministry further stated that information regarding the schedule will be shared via the Pak-Hajj 2025 mobile app, the official website, and through SMS alerts.

The training is compulsory to ensure pilgrims are well-versed in Hajj rituals and have accurate information regarding administrative affairs.

According to the Ministry, the sessions will be conducted via multimedia presentations by experienced Haji camp officials, master trainers, and religious scholars.

Earlier, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Saudi Ministry of Health, new medical conditions have been enforced for Hajj 2026.

The Saudi government has imposed a complete ban on ailing pilgrims, the Ministry of Religious Affairs confirmed.

According to the Saudi Ministry of Health, individuals suffering from kidney failure or undergoing dialysis will not be permitted to perform Hajj in 2026. As per the newly introduced medical criteria, pilgrims with lung and liver diseases will also be restricted, the Ministry of Religious Affairs stated.

The ministry further warned that ailing pilgrims will be deported from Saudi Arabia, and all expenses incurred in this regard will have to be paid by the individuals themselves.

Legal action will also be initiated against doctors who issue fitness certificates to medically unfit pilgrims, it added.

Pilgrims with severe neurological or psychiatric illnesses, memory loss, and other chronic conditions will also be prohibited from undertaking the pilgrimage, the ministry clarified.

Pregnant women, and those suffering from whooping cough, tuberculosis, and viral hemorrhagic fever will not be allowed to perform Hajj 2026, according to the spokesperson.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs further confirmed that cancer patients have also been barred from performing Hajj. Medical officers will have the authority to prevent a pilgrim from traveling if they are deemed unfit prior to departure. Saudi monitoring teams will verify the validity and accuracy of pilgrims’ medical fitness certificates.

Only those individuals who meet the required basic health standards will be allowed to embark on the sacred journey, the Ministry of Religious Affairs emphasized.