Rising inflation has made performing Umrah, particularly during Ramadan, increasingly unaffordable for many due to sharp increases in visa and travel expenses. Sixty-year-old Allah Ditta, who has long dreamed of undertaking the pilgrimage, shared his disappointment after visiting travel agencies with his passport and documents. He explained, “We wanted to go for Umrah in Ramadan, but when I checked, the cost had surged to over Rs350,000. Six months ago, the package was around Rs200,000, so it has become very difficult since I could only save a limited amount.”
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Travel agents have also felt the impact, with fewer people able to afford the journey. Fahad Mufti, a travel agent, noted, “Umrah has become so expensive that it’s now out of reach for many. We’ve seen a 40 to 50% drop in the number of pilgrims. The government needs to introduce policies to ease this financial burden.”
As a result, hundreds of hopeful pilgrims like Allah Ditta, who have saved for years to fulfill their spiritual aspirations, now struggle with the soaring costs of travel and accommodation, making the sacred journey increasingly challenging.
