Govt slashes private Hajj quota by 50%, to receive applications from August 4

• Pakistan's quota of Hajj pilgrims to remain at 179,210.
• Private Hajj scheme reduced to 60,000 pilgrims for 2026.
• Govt scheme to cost between Rs1.15m to Rs1.25m.

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf has said the government will start receiving Hajj applications from August 4, The News reported on Thursday.

Giving the details of Hajj Policy 2026, as approved by the federal cabinet earlier in the day, he said Pakistan's quota of pilgrims will remain at 179,210, out of which 119,210 will perform Hajj under the government’s regular scheme.

He said the quota of the private scheme had been reduced by 50% to 60,000, meaning that two-thirds of the total quota had been given to the government scheme.

The government scheme’s quota is 66.52% and the private scheme's quota stands at 33.48%.

The minister said the total Hajj expenses under the government scheme will vary between Rs1,150,000 and Rs1,250,000, while Rs500,000 would be deposited in the first installment, also in the first week of August.

There would also be a Hajj package of 20 to 25 days under the government scheme. Those who got registered earlier, as directed by the ministry, would be given priority.

Asked as to why the government had reduced the private scheme quota when the Senate's sub-committee had blamed the ministry for the lapse of last year's quota, Sardar Yousuf said the ministry was not taken into confidence while compiling the report.

He said the quota of private operators had been reduced so that they could manage the quota and provide better services.

Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs said the ministry's portal will stop receiving applications as soon as the government scheme's quota is completed.

Meanwhile, a senior official of the Ministry of Religious Affairs on Wednesday apprised the Senate standing committee that the government was holding consultations on the travel of Zaireen to Karbala by sea for Arbaeen.

Senator Attaur Rehman chaired the meeting, which discussed the matter relating to Hajj 2025 and the issue of road travel ban for Zaireen to Karbala.

Senator Raja Nasir Abbas said it was the government’s responsibility to protect the religious rights of Zaireen who desired to visit Karbala for Arbaeen. The minister further assured that all the reservations would be addressed.

Digitisation of pilgrimage process

The approved Hajj Policy 2026 mandates full digitisation of the pilgrimage process, starting in 2026.

70% of pilgrims will be accommodated under the government scheme, while 30% will go through private operators, who will now undergo stricter accountability.

Private Hajj companies that failed to deliver in the previous year must facilitate the same pilgrims in 2026.

Real-time tracking, digital wristbands, mobile apps, SIM cards, and a revamped compensation mechanism are among key improvements.

The Ministry of IT will work jointly with the Ministry of Religious Affairs to ensure the digital transformation of the Hajj operations.

Addressing key developments, Yousaf acknowledged the failure of some private Hajj tour operators to deposit pilgrims' payments on time, which resulted in complications last year.

To remedy this, private tour operators will now offer Hajj to affected pilgrims based on last year's costs.

He added that a financial eligibility criterion has been introduced for private operators to ensure transparency, and that monitoring of both public and private Hajj schemes will be conducted by a neutral third party.

The Hajj selection process will now follow a first-come, first-served basis, and only pilgrims with Saudi-approved vaccinations will be allowed.

The "Road to Makkah" facility will be available at Islamabad and Karachi airports.

Additionally, the ministry will provide full training to pilgrims and establish emergency response teams. An effective financial oversight system and a transparent grievance redressal mechanism will also be implemented.

Furthermore, the Hajj Nazim Scheme will continue, and children under 12 years of age will not be allowed to perform Hajj.