ISLAMABAD:
With just a week left to finalize Hajj bookings, the process for 20,000 prospective pilgrims under the private Hajj program is still pending.
Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousaf on Friday chaired a review meeting with representatives of Dependent Hajj Societies (DHCs) and central and zonal leaders of Hajj Organizers Association of Pakistan (HOAP) to assess the progress of the private Hajj programme.
During the meeting, it was revealed that bookings for 40,000 pilgrims have been made so far under the private program, against the allocated quota of 60,000.
The minister pointed out that in line with the Hajj Policy 2026 approved by the federal cabinet, the registration process of private Hajj pilgrims must be completed by October 17.
The minister asked all DHCs to ensure completion of bookings of the remaining 20,000 pilgrims within the next seven days.
He also asked companies to launch an awareness campaign to encourage timely registration and ensure that no quota goes unused.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to facilitating all future pilgrims through effective coordination between the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony and private Hajj operators.
The Hajj 2026 policy focuses on increased digitalization, better service delivery and a larger government quota for pilgrims. The main changes include an electronic monitoring system, a mobile application and a change in the allocation of quotas to favor the government program. For the government program, registration applications were accepted in August 2025, with packages estimated between Rs1,150,000 and Rs1,250,000.
