Saudi Arabia has once again enforced a key Hajj restriction by banning children from participating in the pilgrimage this year.
Announced in February 2025, the rule is being implemented again to manage crowd sizes and ensure safety, particularly due to the intense heat during Hajj, according to the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
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Meanwhile, despite receiving an additional quota of 10,000, around 67,000 Pakistani pilgrims under the private Hajj scheme will not be able to perform Hajj this year.
The issue arose when a large sum of money meant for these pilgrims’ expenses was mistakenly transferred to the wrong bank account instead of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj’s designated account. The error was detected too late, making it impossible for private operators to meet the official payment deadline.
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs formally appealed to Saudi authorities, requesting permission for the affected pilgrims to proceed.
The ministry also pledged full compliance with all future Hajj regulations and deadlines, stressing that many of the impacted individuals are elderly and devastated by the missed opportunity.
