The Ministry of Religious Affairs has extended the deadline for Hajj applications to December 10, after the previous deadline of December 3 passed. Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, announced in a statement that all Hajj applications under the government scheme, submitted between November 18 and December 3, have been approved.
Hussain also confirmed that all applications under the sponsorship scheme have been accepted without the need for balloting. He urged overseas Pakistanis to submit their sponsorship fees by December 10.
For the 2025 Hajj season, Pakistan has been allocated a quota of 179,210 pilgrims, to be split equally between the government and private Hajj schemes (89,605 each). The government scheme will reserve at least 5,000 seats for the sponsorship scheme.
As of now, around 70,000 Hajj applications have been received, and these will be approved without balloting. However, applications received after December 3 will likely undergo a balloting process if the number exceeds the available quota, as the minister explained, “If applications exceed the quota, a balloting will be held.”
Applicants are required to submit an initial deposit of Rs200,000, with a second installment of Rs400,000 to be paid once their names are confirmed. The remaining balance of the Hajj expenses must be paid by February 10, 2024.
A spokesperson for the Ministry stated that the schedule for Hajj flights will be finalized once the application process is completed. Hajj expenses are expected to range from Rs1,075,000 to Rs1,175,000. The policy also includes 1,000 seats reserved for hardship cases and 300 seats for laborers and low-income employees registered with the Employees Old-Age Benefit Institution (EOBI) or the Workers Welfare Fund.
