The Ministry of Religious Affairs has extended the deadline for submitting Hajj applications to December 10, providing more time for aspiring pilgrims. The original deadline, set for December 3, was pushed back to accommodate additional applications.
Minister for Religious Affairs, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, confirmed that all Hajj applications received from November 18 to December 3 have been approved under the government Hajj scheme. Additionally, applications under the sponsorship scheme have been accepted without the need for a balloting process.
The minister also reminded overseas Pakistanis to submit their sponsorship fees by December 10. According to the 2025 Hajj policy, a total of 179,210 Pakistanis are expected to perform Hajj next year, with an equal split of 89,605 seats between the government and private schemes. A portion of the government seats, at least 5,000, will be allocated for the sponsorship scheme.
As of the extended deadline, reports indicate that approximately 70,000 Hajj applications have already been received and approved without a balloting process. Any applications received after December 3 will likely undergo a balloting procedure if they exceed the available quota.
Applicants are required to submit an initial payment of Rs 200,000 with their applications. The second installment of Rs 400,000 will be collected from selected applicants, and the remaining balance will be due by February 10, 2024.
The ministry also confirmed that the schedule for Hajj flights will be finalized after the application process is complete, and the total cost of performing Hajj will range between Rs 1,075,000 and Rs 1,175,000. In addition, 1,000 seats will be allocated for hardship cases, and 300 seats will be reserved for low-income workers registered under the Employees Old-Age Benefit Institution (EOBI) or the Workers Welfare Fund.
