ISLAMABAD – The Pakistani citizens intending to perform Hajj this year can still apply for the pilgrimage under the government Hajj scheme.
In a tweet on Thursday, the Ministry of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony confirmed that those willing to perform Hajj can apply for a limited number of seats.
In this regard, the application form is available on Ministry’s website and applications can be mailed or submitted in person to Section Officer Hajj policy of the ministry (First Floor, Kohsar Block, Pakistan Secretariat); group details can also be shared through the application form.
Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, and after confirmation, documents, and dues would have to be submitted to the designated banks.
‘Departure is expected by June 20th or 21st,’ the ministry said in a tweet.
It bears mentioning that the deadline for applicants ended a few weeks back; however, for the limited seats there is still an opportunity as announced by the ministry.
For this year’s Hajj, a 50 percent quota had been reserved for the Sponsorship Scheme which is a special facility given to Hajj pilgrims seeking foreign exchange from abroad in the specific dollar account of the religious affairs ministry.
The government had set Hajj expenses at Rs1.175 million per pilgrim, 68% more than the last year’s expenses which apparently became a reason for many of Muslims to avoid performing the ritual amid skyrocketing inflation.
It is noteworthy that this is the first time Saudi Arabia would be welcoming pilgrims in large numbers i.e. around 2.3m after the pandemic restrictions have been lifted. Around one million people joined the 2022 Hajj season and only those in age bracket 18 to 65 who were fully vaccinated or immunized against the virus and did not suffer from chronic diseases were allowed to visit the kingdom.
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