ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday unveiled Hajj Policy 2025 as over 179,210 pilgrims from the country would travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj rituals next year.
During a press conference in Islamabad, Minister of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Chaudhry Salik Hussain unveiled the Hajj Policy and said that Hajj applications will be received from November 18 to December 3, 2024, while balloting will be held on December 6.
Chaudhry Salik Hussain said that the cost for the Government Hajj Scheme for 2025 is expected to range between PKR 1,075,000 to PKR 1,175,000, while the additional cost for the sacrificial animals will be PKR 55,000.
The minister said the Hajj quota has been divided with a ratio of 50:50 between the government and private Hajj schemes. He said 89,605 seats have been reserved each for the government and the private Hajj schemes.
Chaudhry Salik Hussain said 5,000 seats will be kept for sponsorship scheme under the government Hajj Scheme, while 30,000 seats will be allocated to the private Hajj tour operators for sponsorship. He further said it is mandatory to send foreign exchange through the banking channel to participate in the sponsorship scheme.
The minister clarified that the government sponsorship scheme will operate on a ‘first come, first served’ basis and will be exempted from balloting. He said the foreign exchange collected through the sponsorship scheme will be used solely for Hajj-related expenses in Saudi Arabia.
Chaudhry Salik Hussain further elaborated that under the Government Hajj Scheme, the traditional long stay will be 38 to 42 days, and the short stay will be 20 to 25 days. He said each organized private Hajj group must consist of at least 2,000 pilgrims as per Saudi Arabia’s regulations.
Regarding pilgrims’ residences, the minister said applicants opting for double-bed and triple-bed accommodations in Makkah will need to deposit an additional amount of PKR 220,000 and PKR 75,000 respectively.
The minister said the first installment of Hajj dues, amounting to PKR 200,000, must be deposited along with the Hajj application under the Government Hajj Scheme, while the second installment of PKR 400,000 must be deposited within ten days of the balloting. He further said the remaining amount must be deposited by February 10 next year.
Chaudhry Salik Hussain said there will be no deduction for refunds if an application is withdrawn before the last date of submission. However, there will be a deduction of PKR 50,000 on a refund of the first installment after the balloting. A deduction of PKR 200,000 will be made if the third installment is not deposited.
The minister said no refund of the remaining amount will be made after February 10 next year. However, in case of the applicant’s death, the aforementioned deductions will not be applied.
