ISLAMABAD – Days after negating that there will be any extension in the deadline, the authorities in Pakistan announced extending the deadline for the submission of applications under the Regular Hajj Scheme till April 2.
According to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the deadline for submission of applications under the ‘sponsorship scheme’ stands extended till April 9 for which designated banks will be open to receive Hajj applications on Saturdays and Sundays.
The decision to extend the deadlines was made due to multiple reasons including the difficulties in receiving remittances from overseas Pakistanis.
The religious affairs’ ministry spokesperson elaborated that applicants for the Sponsorship Hajj Scheme will be declared successful without any draw but funds should be remitted to the Ministry of Religious Affairs account through telegraphic transfer (TT) or wire transfer under the scheme.
The spokesperson clarified that applicants should contact their nearest bank for verification and processing of the remitted funds.
Earlier, the ministry had announced that the balloting of successful applicants under the regular hajj scheme would take place on April 5th.
Pakistan’s quota for Hajj 2023 is 179,210 pilgrims. This is the first time that the government of Saudi Arabia has restored the number of pilgrims to pre-Covid levels.
It is to be highlighted that 50 percent quota has been reserved for 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.
It merits mentioning that this is the first time Saudi Arabia would be welcoming pilgrims in large numbers i.e around 2.3 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 immunised against the virus and did not suffer from chronic diseases were allowed to visit the kingdom.
