Hajj Applications
The Ministry of Religious Affairs announced on Tuesday an extension of the Hajj applications submission deadline to December 10, providing additional time for aspiring pilgrims. Previously, the deadline was set to close on December 3.
Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, confirmed that all applications submitted under the government Hajj scheme until Tuesday have been approved.
He also stated that applications submitted under the sponsorship scheme were accepted without requiring a balloting process. The minister urged overseas Pakistanis to ensure that the sponsorship fees are deposited by December 10.
Under the Hajj policy for 2025, a total of 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims will perform Hajj. The quota has been equally divided between the government and private Hajj schemes, with each allocated 89,605 slots.
From the government Hajj scheme, 5,000 seats have been reserved specifically for the sponsorship scheme.
According to reports, approximately 70,000 Hajj applications were expected by the evening of December 3, all of which would be approved without balloting.
However, Chaudhry Salik Hussain noted that if the number of applications surpasses the allocated quota, a balloting process may be introduced to finalize the list of successful applicants.
The Hajj application process requires an initial deposit of Rs200,000. Pilgrims whose applications are approved will be required to pay the second installment of Rs400,000 upon finalization. The remaining Hajj expenses must be deposited by February 10, 2024.
A spokesperson for the ministry stated that the Hajj expenses will range between Rs1,075,000 and Rs1,175,000. The schedule for Hajj flights will be announced after the application submission process concludes.
The policy also sets aside 1,000 seats for hardship cases and 300 for laborers or low-income workers registered under the Employees Old-Age Benefit Institution (EOBI) or Workers Welfare Fund.
This extension aims to provide flexibility and ensure inclusivity, allowing a greater number of individuals to fulfill their aspirations of performing Hajj.
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