Deadline for Hajj applications extended till Dec 10

Due to fewer Hajj applications, the ministry extends the deadline originally set for today

Due to a lower-than-expected number of Hajj applications, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has decided to extend the application submission deadline till December 10 as the previous deadline was set to end today.

Religious Affairs Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain confirmed that all Hajj applications submitted under the government scheme have been approved. The minister announced that all applications received from November 18 until Tuesday have been accepted.

Additionally, applications under the Sponsorship Scheme were approved without needing a ballot. The minister urged overseas Pakistanis to deposit the sponsorship fee by December 10.

Earlier, a spokesperson for the religious affairs ministry said in a statement that more than 54,000 applications have been received from across the country so far but the number is yet too low allotted as per the hajj policy.

As part of the 2025 Hajj policy, a total of 179,210 Pakistanis are set to perform Hajj next year where the quota is divided equally, with 89,605 seats allocated to both the government and private Hajj schemes. Within the government scheme, at least 5,000 seats are reserved for the Sponsorship Scheme.

Applicants are required to pay an initial deposit of Rs200,000 along with their application, with a second installment of Rs400,000 due for those whose names are finalised. The remaining balance for Hajj expenses must be paid by February 10, 2025.

A ministry spokesperson also revealed that the schedule for Hajj flights will be finalized after the completion of the application process where the total cost for Hajj is expected to range between Rs1,075,000 and Rs1,175,000.

Under the policy, 1,000 seats are designated for hardship cases, while 300 seats will be allocated for labourers and low-income employees registered with the Employees Old-Age Benefit Institution (EOBI) or Workers Welfare Fund.