In an important step to make the pilgrimage a better experience, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has declared that every Pakistani Hajj pilgrims will be provided with free SIM cards with special call and internet packages during their stay in Saudi Arabia.
This is one of the initiatives in the wider approach of facilitation first, to Hajj 2026 that will make sure that pilgrims are in touch with their families at home and with Hajj administration in the course of their pilgrimage.
Communication Packages for Hajj Pilgrims
The packages have been personalized by the Ministry according to the stay of the pilgrim. Regardless of whether they choose the conventional long-term package or the expedited short-term accommodation, the traveler will also have a lot of resources to work their way around the needs.
| Package Type | Call Minutes (Local & International) | Mobile Data (GB) |
| 40-Day Standard Package | 600 Minutes | 40 GB |
| Short Package | 300 Minutes | 25 GB |
Usage Guidelines and Recharging for Hajj Pilgrims
In order to ensure security and logistical control, the Ministry has established certain standards on the allocation of these SIMs:
Single SIM Per Passport: each pilgrim will be issued with only one official SIM depending on his/her passport information.
Priority in connection with authorities: The authorities have warned that trying to acquire more local SIMs might result in cancellation of the officially issued connection.
Easy Top-ups: There will be recharge points at specific accommodation points all over Makkah and Madinah in case a pilgrim runs out of data or minutes.
Flight Operations and Digital Integration for Pilgrims
The preparations of the next pilgrimage are already underway. The operations of pre-Hajj flights are planned to start April 18, 2026.
Volume: The number of pilgrims travelling under the government scheme will be about 120,000.
Flight Schedule: There will be 468 flights in total that will run in 34 days ending on May 21.
Departure Hubs: Karachi, Lahore, Sialkot, and Multan are major cities that will be used as departure points.
The Ministry has also been keen to promote the use of the Pak Hajj 2026 mobile application to further help pilgrims. This online application gives live information on flight arrangements, accurate accommodation information and direct communication with the customer care.
READ: More informative news
