At a meeting in Islamabad today, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the cabinet announced that Pakistan’s Hajj quota for the upcoming pilgrimage will be 179,210, divided equally between the government and private sectors.
The government Hajj package will range from Rs1,065,000 to Rs1,075,000. This year, children under 12 will not be allowed to participate. A computerized balloting system will determine the government quota, with 1,000 seats reserved for hardship cases and 300 seats for registered workers or low-income employees with the Workers Welfare Fund or the Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution.
Read more: Federal Cabinet Approves Hajj Policy 2025: Details on New Quotas and Packages
The ‘Road to Makkah’ facility will be available at the Islamabad and Karachi airports. Hajj group organizers will enter into service agreements with the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which will closely monitor service delivery.
The cabinet also announced a new role, “Nazim,” responsible for enhancing services for pilgrims, with one Nazim appointed for every 100 pilgrims from the welfare staff.
Additionally, compensation for deceased and injured pilgrims has been raised, with families of deceased pilgrims receiving between one to two million rupees and injured pilgrims receiving one million rupees.
A special Hajj management application has been developed for pilgrims’ convenience, along with arrangements for their training. The cabinet instructed that first-time Hajj performers be given priority in the balloting process and stressed the importance of comprehensive measures to provide the best facilities for pilgrims.
