Around 67,000 Pakistani pilgrims may not be able to perform Hajj this year due to serious delays and mismanagement by private tour operators. Sources revealed that approximately PKR 36 billion collected from pilgrims is now stuck in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government has refused to issue refunds and has instead offered to adjust the funds for next year’s Hajj.
One of the major reasons behind this crisis is the delay in the approval of Pakistan Hajj Policy 2025. Because of this, private Hajj operators could not submit their applications on time. Although the funds were transferred to Saudi Arabia but there was not enough time to complete necessary arrangements like visa processing, accommodations and other services. The lack of timely coordination and communication with Saudi authorities made the situation worse.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs also mentioned that some private companies approached the courts and obtained stay orders. This caused further delays in the allocation of the private Hajj quota.
Due to all these complications only 23,620 Pakistani pilgrims will be able to perform Hajj under the private scheme this year compared to the usual 90,000.
To address the situation, the Ministry of Religious Affairs had issued new guidelines for private operators. All approved Hajj companies were directed to ensure visa issuance by April 18 and to immediately submit copies of their service agreements based on the newly allocated quota. The updated list of authorized Hajj operators is now available on the official website and the Pak Hajj mobile app. Pilgrims are advised to use the Pak Hajj 2025 app for real time updates and service tracking to make a smoother and more transparent experience.
Also read this: Saudi Arabia Temporarily Bans Visas for 14 Countries Including Pakistan Ahead of Hajj 2025
