KARACHI – Pakistani pilgrims choosing premium Hajj Packages will have to undergo thorough investigation under new guidelines issued by Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Under recent changes, Pakistani government reiterated transparency and security for those choosing high-cost Hajj packages using private Hajj 2025 packages. Pilgrims who are going on Hajj packages priced above Rs3 million will undergo a security clearance process before being allowed to proceed with their pilgrimage.
The details of these individuals will be shared with Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), which will scrutinize their financial assets and tax records. Security agencies will assess their criminal and other relevant records, and those who receive clearance from both the FBR and security agencies will be permitted to participate in Hajj 2025.
The companies offering expensive Hajj packages will also be required to submit detailed information about their packages for approval under broader effort to ensure a more transparent and secure Hajj experience for those opting for expensive packages.
In a similar development, Religious Affairs Ministry started mandatory training for pilgrims selected under the government’s Hajj 2025 scheme. The training will take place at 147 locations across the country, starting in Peshawar, and will be tracked through the Pak Hajj mobile app using QR codes. The first phase of training will end on February 27, 2025.
For this year, the Pakistani government introduced an installment payment plan for Hajj pilgrims as cost of airfare for federal program pilgrims has been reduced to Rs220,000, down from Rs234,000 in 2023.
Pakistan International Airlines, Saudi Airlines, and private carriers will handle transportation for smooth pilgrim flights.
Ministry of Religious Affairs invites applications for 5,000 vacant Hajj seats
