ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony on Tuesday extended the deadline for Hajj application submissions under the government Hajj scheme. The new deadline is December 10, giving applicants an additional week to complete the process.
The previous deadline was December 3 which expired today (Tuesday).
Minister for Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain, in a statement, said that all Hajj applications received from November 18 to December 3 have been approved.
“All Hajj applications received from the 18th of the last month till Tuesday have been accepted.”
He said that applications under the Sponsorship Scheme have also been accepted without the need for balloting.
The minister said overseas Pakistanis should deposit the sponsorship fee by December 10.
Under the 2025 Hajj policy, 179,210 Pakistanis would perform Hajj next year. The quota would be divided equally (89,605 each) between the government and private Hajj schemes.
Out of the government Hajj scheme, at least 5,000 seats would be reserved for the sponsorship scheme.
According to reports, 70,000 Hajj applications from intending pilgrims would be received by tonight, which would be approved without balloting.
Application received after December 3 would be accepted probably via balloting as the minister said: “If applications exceed quota, a balloting will be held.”
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The applicants are depositing Rs200,000 along with the application while the second instalment of Rs400,000 would be received from those aspiring pilgrims whose names are finalised by the authorities.
The successful Hajj applicants will deposit the remaining Hajj expenses by February 10, 2024.
The schedule of Hajj flights will be finalised after the process of receiving applications is completed. The Hajj expenses would vary between Rs1,075,000 and Rs1,175,000.
As per the Hajj policy, 1,000 seats would be allocated for hardship cases and 300 for labourers and low-income employees registered under the Employees Old-Age Benefit Institution (EOBI) or Workers Welfare Fund.
