The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has announced an extension of one day in the deadline for receiving applications under the government’s Hajj-2026 scheme. This decision provides additional time for applicants who could not submit their requests within the previously announced schedule.
According to the ministry’s spokesperson, Muhammad Umar Butt, the designated banks will continue accepting applications until Monday, August 18, under the “first-come, first-served” policy. However, he clarified that the ministry’s online portal, which had remained functional until midnight on August 16, would not be reopened for further submissions.
Sharing details about the process, the spokesperson revealed that more than 110,000 applications had already been received over the past 12 days. Despite this strong response, around 7,000 seats under the official Hajj quota are still vacant.
He emphasized that once the quota is completely filled, the receipt of applications will be stopped immediately, even before the extended deadline. This approach ensures a transparent and fair distribution of seats based strictly on availability.
Applicants applying under the scheme are required to deposit an amount of Rs500,000 for the long-duration Hajj package, while the short-duration package requires a deposit of Rs550,000. These financial requirements have been clearly outlined to ensure applicants are fully aware of the commitments involved before applying.
The federal cabinet has recently approved an increase in the government’s share of the Hajj quota, raising it from 50 percent to nearly 67 percent. Officials believe this step has played a significant role in restoring public confidence in the official Hajj scheme, as it allows more people to perform the pilgrimage under government arrangements rather than relying on private operators.
The revised quota also includes special allocations: 2,000 seats have been reserved for hardship cases, ensuring that those with exceptional needs are accommodated, while an additional 1,000 seats are designated for members of the labour community. With these arrangements, the government aims to make the Hajj process more inclusive and accessible.
This extension reflects the ministry’s efforts to facilitate aspiring pilgrims, while also maintaining transparency and order in the application process.
