Pakistan, Saudi Arabia sign agreement on Hajj 2026 arrangements

JEDDAH: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have formally signed an agreement outlining the arrangements and facilities for Hajj 2026.

The agreement was signed in Jeddah by Saudi Deputy Minister for Hajj and Umrah Dr. Abdulfattah bin Sulaiman Mashat and Pakistan’s Secretary for Religious Affairs Dr. Syed Ata-ur-Rehman.

Dr. Ata-ur-Rehman expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for its continued efforts in providing excellent facilities and services to the guests of Allah during Hajj.

He said that, as in previous years, Pakistani pilgrims will be provided with high-quality services during the upcoming pilgrimage.

The secretary reaffirmed the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ commitment to ensuring timely and effective arrangements for both government and private Hajj schemes, in accordance with Saudi government guidelines.

The federal cabinet introduced key changes to the distribution of Hajj quotas this year.

Under the Hajj policy 2026, the government Hajj scheme quota has been increased to 70 percent, while the private Hajj tour operators were allocated 30 percent of the total quota.

In 2025, Pakistan’s total Hajj quota was 179,210, equally divided between the government and private sectors. However, due to significant mismanagement, over 67,000 Pakistani pilgrims were unable to perform Hajj that year.

The revised policy aims to ensure better oversight, transparency, and accessibility for pilgrims opting for the government scheme.

Earlier, the Saudi Riyal (SAR) remained stable at Rs74.88 against the Pakistani Rupee (PKR) in the open market on November 8 and well below the July 28 peak of Rs76.03, according to currency dealers. The selling rate held firm at Rs75.45.

This consistent performance, driven by steady remittance inflows and balanced market dynamics, reinforces the Saudi Riyal’s vital role in Pakistan’s economic framework.